What is a QR code?
A QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional barcode created in 1994 by Denso Wave to track parts in the car industry. It stores text, numbers or bytes in a grid of small squares called modules, and three squares in the corners help the camera find and align the image. Because the information is written in the pattern itself, a phone reads it without internet; what happens next depends on the content, for example opening a website, joining a Wi-Fi network or saving a contact. There are 40 versions, from 21×21 up to 177×177 modules, and four error correction levels that let the code be read even when part of it is damaged.
How do I create a free QR code?
Choose the QR code type, fill in the details and the preview appears instantly, with no sign-up. In quick mode you only need to paste the website address and download the PNG or SVG. Before the download is released, the studio decodes the final image and compares the result with what you typed: the green badge means reading worked in this test, yellow points to risks such as low contrast, and red warns that the code could not be read. There is no download limit, watermark or subscription. Files are generated in your browser, so nothing you type leaves your device.
How do I create a QR code with a logo?
In the Create tab, open “Center logo”, upload the image and adjust its size. The logo covers part of the modules, and the code stays readable only because error correction rebuilds what was hidden, so use level Q or H and keep the logo small. The studio repeats the read test after every adjustment and warns when the logo goes past the safe limit; the “Auto Fix” button shrinks the logo, restores contrast and margin and swaps decorative shapes for squares, without touching the content. Level H does not guarantee that any logo can be read: trust the test and print a proof.
Available QR code types
| Type | What the code holds |
|---|---|
| Website / URL | An http or https address; opens the site in the browser. |
| Wi-Fi | Network name, password and security in the WIFI: format. |
| A wa.me link with the international number and first message. | |
| Contact (vCard) | A vCard 3.0 contact with name, company, phones, email and address. |
| Menu | The public address of the digital menu. |
| Pix | Static Pix (BR Code) with key, recipient, city, optional amount and CRC16. |
| Location | geo: coordinates, an address search on the map or a link you paste. |
| Event | A calendar event (VEVENT) with date, time and zone, or the event page link. |
| Product / inventory | Text, URL, structured fields or a GS1 Digital Link with a validated GTIN. |
| Social media | A profile link on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, X or another URL. |
| A mailto: link with recipient, subject and message. | |
| Phone | A tel: link that opens the dialer. |
| SMS | An sms: link with number and prepared message. |
| Payment link | A payment link you already have; not a banking standard. |
| Free text | Any text, within the code's capacity. |
How do I create a Wi-Fi QR code?
Choose “Wi-Fi”, type the network name (SSID), the password and the security type. The studio builds the text in the format Android and iPhone recognize (WIFI:T:WPA;S:name;P:password;;) and correctly escapes backslashes, semicolons, colons, commas and quotes. Anyone pointing the camera gets the option to connect without typing anything. Prefer WPA; WEP appears only as an old, insecure option, and open networks let anyone in. Pick the Wi-Fi frame template to print a card saying “Scan to connect”. The password is not saved in the browser history unless you choose to store it.
How do I make a WhatsApp QR code?
Choose “WhatsApp”, select the country, type the number and, if you want, a first message. The studio normalizes the phone to the international digits-only format, drops trunk zeros and builds the official wa.me link with the message encoded, accents included. When the code is read, WhatsApp opens the chat or prepares the message; it sends nothing by itself and the experience depends on the device and app version. Use the “Chat with us” frame on counters, shop windows and cards. Because the QR is static, changing the number means generating and printing another code.
Error correction levels
| Level | Recoverable data | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| L | ≈ 7% | Screens and clean prints with a lot of content. |
| M | ≈ 15% | General use; the studio default. |
| Q | ≈ 25% | Small logo or less crisp printing. |
| H | ≈ 30% | Worn environments; a moderate logo. |
How do I print QR codes on labels?
In the “Sheets & labels” tab, choose an A4 or Letter sheet layout, or enter width, height, gaps and margins in millimeters, centimeters or inches. You can start at any position to reuse a partly used sheet. The preview shows the sheet at real size, and text that does not fit is reduced or flagged instead of overlapping the code. Print at 100% scale, without “fit to page”, and test with a phone before producing in quantity. For labels with price and barcode, send the QR codes to the Quima Tools label generator.
What is the difference between static and dynamic QR codes?
A static QR code stores the content inside the image itself: it works offline, does not depend on a server and does not expire by Quima's decision, but it cannot be edited once printed and does not count scans. A dynamic one stores a short address that redirects to the destination, which lets you change the destination and measure visits, but it needs a redirect service that is usually paid and stops working if the service ends. Quima QR Code Studio only generates static codes and promises neither remote editing nor statistics. If you need flexibility, use a redirectable link of your own and generate the static QR pointing to it. A static QR that points to a website also stops working if that website goes offline.
How do I generate many QR codes from Excel?
In the “Bulk” tab, download the template sheet, fill one row per code (identifier, name, type, content, text and color) and upload the XLSX, CSV or JSON file, or paste copied cells. Confirm the column mapping, fix the rows with errors, exclude the ones you do not need and generate everything: progress shows in real time and you can cancel or retry only the records that failed. Repeated rows are flagged, not deleted, because the same content may be another physical label. Then export a ZIP of PNGs or SVGs with safe, unique names, a multi-page PDF, a results CSV or a JSON to edit later. The spreadsheet is read in the browser and formulas are never executed.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check that a QR code works?
The studio decodes the final image, colors, shape and logo included, and compares the text it reads with what you typed: green, yellow or red. It is a digital test and does not replace a real trial. Print it, point a phone at a normal distance and try more than one device. In the Scan QR code tab you can also read an image or use the camera.
Does the generated QR code expire or have a scan limit?
No. A static code has no deadline, no limit and no dependence on Quima. What can stop working is the destination: if the website, link or service it points to goes offline, the code ends up opening a page that does not exist.
Do I have to pay, or is there a watermark?
It is free, with no sign-up, no login, no download limit and no watermark on PNG, SVG, PDF and labels. The tool is supported by discreet ads outside the QR code area and by voluntary donations.
Is my data sent to any server?
No. Generation, the read test, spreadsheet reading and saved projects all happen in your browser. The camera and the images in the reader are neither recorded nor uploaded. Wi-Fi passwords and payment keys never go into addresses, file names or logs.
What is the minimum print size?
There is no universal minimum size: it depends on how much content the code holds, the printer resolution, the paper and the reading distance. The studio shows each module's size in millimeters and warns when it gets too small. The less content, the fewer modules and the easier it is to print small.
Does the Pix code made here confirm the payment?
No. The studio makes the static Pix QR code (BR Code) with the CRC calculated according to the Central Bank of Brazil specification, but it neither confirms nor processes payments: your financial institution receives and confirms them. There is no automatic confirmation without an authorized integration with a bank or payment provider.
Can I make a menu QR code without hosting the menu?
The QR code has to point to a public page on the internet. If your menu is already online, paste the address. Data saved only in the browser is not reachable by customers, and the studio neither invents a link nor claims anything was published. In the Quima Tools menu maker you prepare the menu and export a page to publish wherever you like.
Why does my QR code with a logo not scan?
The logo hides modules that error correction has to rebuild. If it is large, if contrast is low or if the print is small, scanning fails. Shrink the logo, use level Q or H, keep the protective backdrop and the 4-module margin, or click “Auto Fix”.
Can I create a dynamic QR code with an editable destination?
Not here. A dynamic QR needs a redirect service, and Quima Tools stores no user data and measures no visits. You can use a redirectable link you already own and generate the static QR pointing to it; editing and statistics then depend on that service.
Related tools
Price label generator: print price and product labels with a QR code and barcode.
Menu maker: build the menu and use the QR code of a public page.
Work order generator: identify work orders and equipment with a QR code.
Sale flyer maker: add an offer QR code to a promotional flyer.