How to Make a QR Code for WhatsApp, Wi-Fi or a Google Form (Free)

Three QR codes cover most of what a small shop, stall or café needs: one that opens a WhatsApp chat, one that joins your Wi-Fi, and one that opens a form for orders or feedback. Each takes about a minute with the free QR code generator. They never expire, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

WhatsApp QR code

A WhatsApp QR code opens a chat with your number straight away, with an optional first message already typed in. Customers don't need to save your number first.

1. Open the QR code generator and pick the WhatsApp tab.
2. Type your number with the country code and without the first 0. For a Malaysian number 012-345 6789, type 60123456789.
3. Optional: add a first message, such as "Hi, I'd like to order".
4. Download PNG or SVG.

Behind the scenes the code holds a link like wa.me/60123456789, which is WhatsApp's own click-to-chat link. Test it with a phone that isn't yours: the chat should open with your name at the top.

Ideas: on the counter for orders, on delivery bags for reorders, on packs for customer service, on a market stall sign.

Wi-Fi QR code

A Wi-Fi QR code lets guests join your network by pointing their camera at it: no spelling out the password. Most phones made in the last few years read it straight from the camera app.

1. Pick the Wi-Fi tab.
2. Type the network name exactly as it appears, capitals and spaces included.
3. Choose the security type (WPA/WPA2 for almost all home and shop routers) and type the password.
4. Tick "hidden network" only if your network doesn't show in the list.
5. Download and print.

Two things to know. The password is stored inside the code, so anyone who scans it, or photographs it, can join. Use a separate guest network for customers, not the one your till or office runs on. And if you change the password, print a new code: the old one will stop connecting.

Google Form QR code

Good for orders, sign-ups, feedback and event RSVPs.

1. In Google Forms, open your form and click Send.
2. Click the link icon and copy the link (tick "Shorten URL" for a simpler code).
3. In the QR generator, use the Link tab and paste it.
4. Download PNG or SVG.

The QR code points to the form's link, not a copy of the form, so you can edit questions later and the code still works. It only stops working if you delete the form or turn off "Accepting responses". The same method works for any link: Google Maps, your menu, an Instagram profile, a Shopee store.

Print tips for all three

• Add a line of text under the code, like "Scan to WhatsApp us" or "Scan for Wi-Fi". People scan more when they know what they'll get.
• Size: about 2 x 2 cm at least for a card or pack; 5 cm or more for a counter sign; bigger for a poster across the room.
• Dark on light, with the white border kept around the code.
• Laminate it if it goes on a table or counter, so a smudge doesn't stop it working.
• Test before you print many: scan the proof with an iPhone and an Android.

Why these codes never expire

Every code from the generator is a static QR code: the number, password or link is stored inside the pattern itself, with no tracking server in between. So it keeps working as long as your WhatsApp number, Wi-Fi password or form stay the same. More on that in QR codes that never expire.

Make your QR code now →

Questions

How do I make a QR code for my WhatsApp number?

Choose the WhatsApp option in the QR code generator, type your number with the country code and without the first 0, add an optional first message, and download it.

Is it safe to share a Wi-Fi QR code?

Anyone who scans or photographs it can join, because the password is inside the code. Use a separate guest network for customers.

Does a Google Form QR code still work if I edit the form?

Yes. The code holds the form's link, so edits show up. It stops working only if you delete the form or stop accepting responses.

Do these QR codes expire?

No. They are static codes, so they keep working as long as the number, password or link inside them stays the same.