What a Wi-Fi QR code does
A Wi-Fi QR code contains your network name, security type and password in a standard format that phones understand natively. When a guest points their camera at it, the phone offers to join the network — no spelling out a 20-character password, no typing it into a small keyboard, no reading it off the back of the router. The generator builds the code in your browser; the password is never uploaded, and the resulting image works offline forever.
The format inside the code
The code is plain text following a convention introduced by Android and now supported by iOS, Windows and most camera apps:
WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyNetwork;P:my-secret-password;H:false;;
T = security type (WPA, WEP, or nopass)
S = SSID (network name)
P = password
H = true if the network is hiddenThe characters \ ; , : " in the SSID or password must be escaped with a backslash; the generator does this automatically. WPA covers WPA2 and WPA3 — phones negotiate the actual protocol with the router. Leave the password empty and choose “no password” for open networks.
Which devices can scan it
| Platform | Support | How |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone / iPad | iOS 11 and later | Built-in Camera app; tap the notification |
| Android | Android 10 and later (most phones since ~2019) | Camera app or Google Lens |
| Older Android | Android 8–9 | Google Lens or a QR app; some manufacturers' cameras |
| Windows 11 | Yes | Camera app, or Phone Link |
| macOS | Partial | Continuity Camera via iPhone; no native Mac scanner |
| Chromebook | Yes | Camera app |
Printing and placing the code
- Size: for scanning from a table or wall at arm's length, print at least 3 cm (1.2 in) square. Multiply by the scan distance in metres for larger placements.
- Quiet zone: leave a white margin around the code at least four modules wide — the generator includes it; do not crop it away.
- Contrast: dark modules on a light background. Avoid printing on glossy or textured surfaces that reflect light.
- Error correction: the generator uses medium (M) correction by default, which tolerates about 15% damage. Choose high (H) if you plan to add a logo in the centre or laminate the print.
- Label it: a short caption (“Scan to join Wi-Fi”) tells guests what to do; the code itself gives no hint.
Security considerations
Anyone who can scan the code can read the password — QR codes are not encryption, just a convenient encoding. That is fine for a café, a guest room or a home where the code is inside the house, but it means you should treat the printed code with the same care as a written password. A few practical rules:
- Put the code on a guest network if your router offers one. Guests get internet access without seeing printers, NAS drives or smart-home devices on your main network.
- Do not post a photo of the code online or hang it in a window visible from the street.
- When you change the Wi-Fi password, generate a new code and destroy the old print. Nothing in the code updates automatically.
- Prefer WPA2 or WPA3. WEP has been trivially crackable for over a decade and is included here only for legacy equipment.
Common uses
- Cafés, restaurants and hotels — a table tent or a card at reception replaces staff repeating the password.
- Home — a small framed print near the front door for visitors and babysitters.
- Airbnb and short-term rentals — include it in the welcome binder alongside check-out instructions.
- Offices and co-working spaces — guest Wi-Fi on meeting-room walls; rotate the password and reprint periodically.
- Events — on badges, signage or the slide shown while attendees settle in.