What it does
Turn any text, link or Wi-Fi login into a QR code you can print, share or embed. The code is generated entirely in your browser and can be downloaded as an SVG (crisp at any size, ideal for posters) or a PNG (best for chat and email).
How it works
A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode: a grid of black and white squares called modules. The encoder packs your text into those modules along with a fixed amount of error-correction data, so the code can still be read after damage or dirt. You pick how much redundancy to spend on error correction with the ECC setting; higher settings recover more of a damaged code but produce a denser grid because more of the space is spent on recovery information.
- L — about 7% of the code can be lost and still recover. Smallest grid, best for clean digital use.
- M — about 15%. A sensible default for printed material.
- Q — about 25%. Useful for posters and stickers likely to scuff.
- H — about 30%. Choose this for outdoor signage, or when you want to overlay a logo.
ToolHare renders the grid as SVG (vector), so scaling never blurs the edges. The PNG button rasterises the same SVG through a canvas at the size you have chosen.
Worked example
With the seeded example above — https://toolhare.com at ECC level M — the encoder picks the smallest QR version that fits the text plus its error-correction overhead, lays out the finder squares in three corners, adds timing and alignment patterns, and then fills the remaining modules with the encoded bytes. Change the ECC to H and the same text needs a larger grid, because more of the total space is now given over to error correction.
Common uses
- Links on print: posters, business cards, menus and packaging — SVG downloads print sharply at any size.
- Wi-Fi joining: encode
WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyNetwork;P:MyPassword;;and a guest scans to connect. - Event tickets and passes: a URL or short id that a scanner reads on arrival.
- Product info: a link to instructions, spare-parts or a warranty page.
Frequently asked
How much text can a QR code hold?
It depends on both the ECC level and the character set. The largest QR version at the lowest ECC (L) can hold roughly 2,953 bytes of raw data, dropping to about 1,273 bytes at level H. Everyday URLs and Wi-Fi strings are far shorter than that.
Are QR codes case-sensitive?
Only sometimes. QR has two efficient text modes (numeric and alphanumeric), and the alphanumeric mode is uppercase-only. For anything that includes lowercase letters, punctuation or Unicode, the encoder falls back to byte mode — which is case-sensitive and preserves your text exactly. This tool uses UTF-8 byte mode for anything outside the alphanumeric set, so Example.com and example.com produce different codes.
Do I need to keep this page open?
No. Download the SVG or PNG; the file works on its own. Nothing is uploaded to ToolHare — the encoding runs entirely in your browser.
Why does higher error correction make the code bigger?
The total capacity of a QR grid is fixed for each version. Adding error-correction bytes leaves less room for your data, so the encoder must jump to a larger version to fit both. The trade-off is worth it for anything that will be printed or displayed outdoors, where scuffs, folds or shadows can obscure part of the code.
QR encoding by qrcode-generator (© Kazuhiko Arase, MIT). See how we build and verify our tools.