WiFi QR Code Generator

Encode your network name, security type and password into a QR code that iPhones on iOS 11 or later and Android phones on 10 or later read straight from the camera. Special characters in the SSID or password are escaped properly, which is exactly where most generators quietly fail.

Last updated: 2026-07-26

What a Wi-Fi QR code actually contains

A Wi-Fi code is not a link. It encodes a small structured string that phones recognise as network credentials, in the format WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:password;;. T is the security type (WPA covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3, WEP is the legacy option, and nopass means an open network), S is the SSID exactly as broadcast, P is the passphrase, and an optional H:true; marks a hidden network.

Two details break more codes than anything else. First, the SSID is case-sensitive and must match the broadcast name character for character, including spaces. Second, if the SSID or password contains a semicolon, comma, colon, double quote or backslash, that character has to be escaped with a backslash or the parser will read it as a field separator. This generator escapes those five characters for you, which is why passwords like Guest;2026 work here and fail in generators that concatenate raw strings.

Nothing about the code is encrypted. It is a plain-text credential in a machine-readable wrapper, and anyone who can photograph it can join the network. That is the point on a guest network and a serious problem on your main one.

Which phones join automatically, and which do not

iPhones running iOS 11 or later scan Wi-Fi codes from the built-in Camera app and offer a Join Network banner — no app needed. Android has supported the same natively since Android 10, either from the camera or from Settings › Network › Wi-Fi › the QR icon. On both, the user still taps to confirm; nothing joins silently.

Older devices, some budget Android skins and most third-party scanner apps will show the raw WIFI:... string instead of offering to connect. It is worth printing the network name and password in small text under the code for exactly those cases, and for laptops, which almost never scan.

If a code refuses to join, the usual causes are a mistyped SSID, the wrong security type (choosing WPA for an open network fails), a hidden network without H:true, or a 5 GHz-only network the device cannot see. Enterprise networks that use a username as well as a password (WPA2-Enterprise, eduroam and similar) cannot be represented in this format at all.

Use a guest network, not your main one

Almost every router sold in the last decade can broadcast a separate guest SSID that reaches the internet but not your printers, network drives, cameras or laptops. Put the QR code on the guest network and the worst case of a stranger photographing your café card is that they use some bandwidth.

Enable the guest network in your router admin panel and give it its own password
Turn on client isolation if the router offers it, so guests cannot see each other
Generate the code for the guest SSID and laminate it — cards get wet
Rotate the guest password on a schedule and reprint; it takes two minutes here
Never print a code for a network that has file shares, NAS boxes or IP cameras on it

These are static QR codes — what that means for you

The code this page produces encodes your data directly in the pattern of black and white squares. Nothing is stored on our servers, no short link sits in the middle, and no account is involved. A phone camera reads the squares, decodes the text and acts on it. That is why the generator keeps working with your browser offline, and why there is no scan limit, no expiry date and no monthly fee.

The trade-off is that a static code cannot be edited after it is printed. The destination is baked into the image. If you print 5,000 flyers pointing at example.com/summer and then move that page, every flyer is dead. Dynamic codes — the ones behind most paid QR services — encode a short redirect URL instead, so the owner can repoint it later and count scans. They also stop working the day the service that hosts the redirect goes away or the subscription lapses, which is a real risk for anything meant to outlive a marketing budget.

A practical middle ground costs nothing: point the static code at a URL you control and can redirect yourself, such as yoursite.com/menu. You keep the free, permanent, no-dependency code, and you keep the ability to change where it lands.

Sizing, printing and testing before you commit

The rule of thumb scanners have used for years is a 10:1 ratio — the code should be roughly one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from. A code read at arm's length (about 30 cm) works at 3 cm across; a poster read from 3 m needs about 30 cm. Below about 2 cm printed, cheap phone cameras start to struggle regardless of resolution.

Download the SVG rather than the PNG for anything going to print. SVG is vector, so it stays crisp at any size a printer can produce, and it is what design software expects. The PNG is the right choice for slides, emails and social posts where a fixed pixel size is what you want.

Keep the quiet zone — the empty white margin around the pattern is part of the specification, not decoration, and cropping it is the single most common reason a printed code fails. Keep the dark modules dark on a light background; inverted codes are read by fewer scanners than people assume. Then test the real artefact, not the screen: print it at final size, scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone, in the light the code will actually live in.

How to use the WiFi QR Code Generator

Enter WiFi Details: Go to fixflowhub.com/qr-generator/wifi and enter your network name (SSID) and password
Select Encryption: Choose your WiFi encryption type — WPA/WPA2 or WEP
Generate: Click Generate to create your WiFi QR code
Download: Download and print — guests scan to connect instantly

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my Wi-Fi password sent anywhere?

No. The code is built entirely in your browser and the password never touches a network. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the generator still works — a reasonable way to satisfy yourself that nothing is being uploaded.

Is a Wi-Fi QR code secure?

The code is not encrypted — it is your password in machine-readable form. Anyone who can photograph it can join. Use it on a guest network, keep the card where you can see it, and never print one for a network with shared drives or cameras on it.

Does it work on iPhone and Android?

Yes on both, natively. iOS 11 and later reads Wi-Fi codes from the Camera app; Android 10 and later reads them from the camera or from the Wi-Fi settings screen. The user confirms with a tap — nothing connects silently.

What if my password contains a semicolon or backslash?

It still works here. Semicolons, colons, commas, double quotes and backslashes are special in the WIFI: format and this generator escapes them automatically. Generators that skip that step produce codes that silently join with a truncated password.

Which security type should I pick?

WPA for anything modern — the same value covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3. Pick WEP only for genuinely ancient hardware, and nopass for an open network with no password. Picking the wrong one is a common cause of a code that scans but will not connect.

Does it work with a hidden network?

Yes — tick the hidden option, which adds H:true; to the payload so the device knows to probe for an SSID it cannot see. Without it, a hidden network usually fails to join.

Can I use it for a work network with a username and password?

No. WPA2-Enterprise and eduroam-style networks need a username, certificate or EAP method, none of which the WIFI: format can express. Those need a configuration profile from your IT team.

How should I print a café or Airbnb card?

About 3–5 cm across for a table card, laminated, with the network name and password in small text underneath for laptops and older phones. Test it with one iPhone and one Android before you print fifty.

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