Make a WiFi QR code
A WiFi QR code carries your network name and password in a format phones understand. A guest opens the camera, points it at the code, and gets a prompt to join. Nobody reads a long password out loud, nobody mistypes it, and you do not have to repeat it for every visitor. Cafes, guest rooms and offices print one and stop being asked.
Customize
#14201b#ffffffGet the network name exactly right
The network name is the single most common reason a WiFi code fails. It must match your router exactly, including capital letters and spaces: "Home_WiFi" and "home_wifi" are two different networks to a phone. Copy it from your phone’s WiFi list rather than typing it from memory, and watch for a trailing space, which is invisible and breaks the match.
Pick the right security type
- WPA / WPA2 covers almost every home and office router made in the last fifteen years. If you are unsure, this is the right choice.
- WEP is old and insecure. If your router still uses it, change the router setting rather than the QR code.
- No password is for genuinely open networks. The code then carries only the network name.
Where to put it
Print it at least two centimetres wide, in dark ink on light paper. Small codes on glossy or coloured stock fail under the room lighting people actually scan in. Put it where guests sit rather than by the door, because that is where they reach for their phone.
Remember that anyone who can see the code can join your network. A code taped to a shop window is readable from the street. If your router offers a separate guest network, put that one on the code and keep your main network private.
When you change the password
The code stores the password as it was when you made it. Change the password and every printed copy stops working, with no warning and no error message that explains why. Make a new code and replace the printed ones at the same time.
Steps
- The WiFi tab is already open on this page.
- Type the network name exactly as it appears in your phone’s WiFi list.
- Type the password and leave security on WPA / WPA2 unless your router says otherwise.
- Test it with your own phone, then download the PNG and print it.
Questions
Does this work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. Recent iPhones and Android phones scan WiFi codes with the normal camera app. On older Android, Google Lens or a QR scanner app will do it.
My code scans but the phone will not join. Why?
Almost always the network name does not match exactly. Check capital letters, spaces and any trailing space. The security type being wrong is the next most common cause.
Is my WiFi password sent anywhere?
No. The code is generated inside your browser, so the password never reaches a server. It is stored in the image itself, which is why you should control who can see the printed code.
Can I change the password later and keep the same code?
No. The password is baked into the code. Change it and you need a new code, and every printed copy of the old one stops working.