How to make a WiFi QR code (and where to use it)

A WiFi QR code lets your guests join the network without typing the password by hand: they scan the code with their phone camera and the phone connects on its own. It is perfect for cafes, offices, clinics, guesthouses or simply for home when you have visitors. Here is what it is, what it contains and how to make one in seconds.

What a WiFi QR code is

It is a QR code that holds the credentials for a wireless network — the network name and the password — in a standard format that phones understand directly. When you scan it, the phone offers "Join network X", and you confirm with one tap. No more dictating complex passwords and no more typos.

What the code contains

• The network name (SSID) — exactly as it appears in the network list;
• The password — encoded as text in the code;
• The security type — usually WPA/WPA2 (or WEP on older networks, or "no password" for open networks);
• Hidden network — a separate option, if the SSID is not broadcast.

How to make a WiFi QR code

1. Open the WiFi QR code generator.
2. Type the network name (SSID) and the password, exactly with capitals and special characters.
3. Pick the security type (usually WPA/WPA2) and tick "hidden network" only if needed.
4. Customise the colours if you like, then download the code as PNG or SVG.
5. Print it or put it on a screen, near where your guests sit.

Do I need a special app to scan it?

No. On iPhone (iOS 11 and newer) the native camera recognises WiFi codes directly and offers to connect with one tap. Most modern Android phones do the same from the camera app. In practice, guests do not need to install anything. If it still will not work, see why a QR code does not scan.

Where to use it

• Cafes and restaurants — on tables or at the entrance (it pairs well with a menu QR code);
• Stays and guesthouses — on a card in the room, so guests connect instantly;
• Offices and meeting rooms — for visitors, without saying the internal password out loud;
• At home — a card on display for visitors.

Practical tips

Use a separate guest network and put that network's password in the code, not your main one — that way you do not expose your everyday network. Test the code with your own phone before printing it and, if you laminate it, make sure it does not reflect light, so it stays easy to scan.

Generate your WiFi code now

You can make your code in seconds, free and without an account, with the WiFi QR code generator. Add the network and password, choose the security type and download the code, ready to print.