How to Make a Wi-Fi QR Code (Free, Never Expires)

What you need before you start

• Network name (SSID): exactly as it appears in your phone’s Wi-Fi list, including capital letters and spaces.
• Password: the Wi-Fi password, not your router’s admin password.
• Security type: almost every modern router uses WPA2 or WPA3, which you select as WPA. Choose WEP only for very old routers, or None for an open network.

You can find all three on the sticker under your router or in its settings page.

Make your Wi-Fi QR code in four steps

1. Open the free Tolket QR Code Generator and choose the Wi-Fi option.
2. Enter the network name, the password and the security type. Tick hidden network only if your network does not broadcast its name.
3. Pick colours if you like. Keep the code dark on a light background so every phone can read it.
4. Download the code as SVG for printing or PNG for screens, then test it with your own phone.

The code is created in your browser. Your Wi-Fi password is not sent to our server or stored anywhere.

How a Wi-Fi QR code works

The code simply stores a short line of text in a format phones recognise:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:sunny-table-42;;

T is the security type, S the network name and P the password. When a phone camera reads this text it offers to join the network. If your name or password contains special characters such as ;, ,, :, " or \, they need a backslash in front of them; a good generator handles this for you.

Because the details are stored in the code itself, there is no redirect link and no subscription. That is why Wi-Fi codes never expire, unlike the “dynamic” codes some paid services sell.

Does it work on iPhone and Android?

Yes. Recent iPhones read QR codes straight from the Camera app and show a Join network prompt. Most Android phones do the same through the camera or Google Lens. Very old phones may need a QR scanning app, so it is worth printing the network name and password in small text below the code as a fallback for guests.

Printing tips

• Size: at least 3 × 3 cm (about 1.2 inches) for a table card or fridge magnet, larger for a wall sign read from a distance.
• Label it: add a short line such as “Scan to join our Wi-Fi” and the network name, so people know what the code does.
• Leave a margin: keep a clear white border around the code and do not crop it tight against other graphics.
• Protect it: laminate cards or use a frame so the code does not get scratched or bent.
• Test before you print many: scan the printed copy with both an iPhone and an Android phone.

Keep your network safe

• Use a guest network for visitors and customers, so they cannot see your own computers, printers or cameras. Most routers have a guest Wi-Fi option.
• Use a strong password. A QR code means nobody has to type it, so you can make it long. Our Password Generator creates one in seconds.
• Do not display it facing the street if you only want customers to connect.
• Change the password from time to time, then print a new code. The old code stops working as soon as the password changes.

Where Wi-Fi QR codes are useful

Cafes and restaurants put them on table cards and menus, hotels and holiday rentals in rooms and welcome folders, offices in meeting rooms, and families on the fridge for visiting friends. For more ideas, read 9 practical ways small businesses use QR codes.

Frequently asked questions