How to make a Wi-Fi QR code
- Open the Wi-Fi generator. The link above takes you straight to the Wi-Fi tab with everything pre-set.
- Type your network name (SSID) exactly as it appears in your phone's Wi-Fi list. Capitalisation and spaces matter — the code matches the name literally.
- Choose the security type. Pick WPA for WPA, WPA2 or WPA3 networks, which is almost every modern router. Choose “Open network” only if there is genuinely no password.
- Enter the password. It is encoded locally and shown to no one.
- Style it, check the report, download. A Wi-Fi code carries very little data, so it produces a low-density pattern that scans easily and stays readable even at small print sizes. Keep the error correction at M, or raise it to Q if the code will sit somewhere it might get scratched.
Where a Wi-Fi code earns its place
- Cafés, bars and restaurants — a table card means staff stop reading passwords aloud and stop getting interrupted for them.
- Guest rooms and rentals — one framed card on the wall, replaced in seconds when you rotate the password.
- Offices and meeting rooms — visitors join without a receptionist having to type anything.
- Waiting rooms and salons — clients join while they wait, without queueing at a desk.
- Trade stands — a code on a standee handles a whole day of “what's the Wi-Fi?” at an event.
Print size and placement
Wi-Fi codes are short payloads, so they are the most forgiving type of QR code to print. The reliable rule is that the code's width should be at least one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from:
| Placement | Typical distance | Minimum width |
|---|---|---|
| Table card or coaster | 30–40 cm | 3–4 cm |
| Wall sign, guest room | 1–1.5 m | 10–15 cm |
| Counter standee | 2 m | 20 cm |
| Poster or window decal | 3 m or more | 30 cm or more |
Keep at least 4 modules of blank space around the code — QRMint adds this margin for you by default. Do not place a Wi-Fi code on a dark background unless you also give it a light border, because many scanners cannot read a light-on-dark pattern. Matte, not glossy: reflections defeat more codes than size does.
Security: what a Wi-Fi code really does
Be clear about the trade-off. The standard Wi-Fi payload stores the password inside the code, in a form any scanner can read. A Wi-Fi code is therefore an invitation, not a secret. Anyone who can see the code can join the network.
What QRMint adds is that the password never travels over the internet. It is not posted to a server, not written to a log and not stored in any database — it exists only in the pattern you download. Compare that with generators that send your credentials to a backend you cannot see.
Practical advice: put the Wi-Fi code on your guest network rather than the network your point-of-sale terminal or NAS sits on. Most routers can run a separate guest SSID in a few clicks, and that single step removes the entire risk.
Troubleshooting
The code scans but will not connect
Almost always a mismatch in the network name or security type. Check the SSID character by character — a trailing space is a classic culprit — and confirm which security mode the router actually uses. If your router is in WPA3-only mode, try WPA first and, if it still fails, set the router to WPA2/WPA3 mixed.
Nothing happens at all when I scan
Older Android devices need a dedicated QR scanner app rather than the built-in camera. If a scanner app also fails, the code was probably printed too small or on a reflective surface.
It worked for me but not for guests
Test with an actual guest device that has never been on the network. Phones remember networks, so your own phone can appear to succeed instantly for the wrong reason.
Frequently asked
Is it safe to put my Wi-Fi password in a QR code?
The code contains the password in plain form, as every Wi-Fi code must. Anyone who scans it can join. The meaningful protection here is that the password is never sent over the internet: QRMint builds the code in your browser, so no server ever holds it. Only display a Wi-Fi code where you are content for it to be used, and keep it on a guest network if you can.
Does it work on both iPhone and Android?
Yes. iOS 11 and later and Android 10 and later both recognise the standard Wi-Fi format and offer a one-tap join. Very old Android versions need a scanner app.
Can it get past a hotel or café login page?
No. A captive portal is a web page you must interact with after joining, and no QR code can complete that step for the user. The code can join the network; the portal still needs a tap.
Do I need separate codes for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz?
Only if the router publishes them as two separate network names. Create one code per SSID.
Can I rotate the password without reprinting?
Not with a static code — the password is inside the pattern, which is precisely why nothing can expire it. If you change the password, generate a new code. That takes about thirty seconds, and you can reprint only the affected cards.
Advertising is on this website only — never in your Wi-Fi code. The code you download contains your network name, password and encryption type, and nothing else: no advert, no tracker, no redirect. Guests who scan it go straight to your network, not to a sponsored page. How that works, and how to verify it.