Make a WiFi QR code so guests join without asking for the password

A WiFi QR code holds your network name, security type and password in one square. A guest points their phone camera at it, taps the network name that appears, and joins without anyone spelling out a password. Make one on the WiFi QR code page, where the WiFi type is already chosen.

Steps

1. Type the Network name (SSID) exactly as it shows in a phone's WiFi list: same capital letters, same spaces. "Home_5G" and "home_5g" are different networks to a phone.
2. Under Security, choose WPA for almost any home or office router, including WPA2 and WPA3. Choose WEP only for very old equipment, and None for an open network with no password (the password box then disappears).
3. Type the Password. Symbols such as ;, ,, : and quotes are fine; they are escaped for you so the phone reads them as part of the password.
4. Tick Hidden network only if the network does not appear in the list when you search for WiFi. Leave it off otherwise.
5. Wait for the line under the preview to say Scans reliably, then press SVG for a printed sign or card, or PNG for a screen.
6. Print it and scan the printed copy once with your own phone before you put it up.

What the code contains

The square holds one line of text in a format phone cameras recognise. For a network called Home with the password sunflower, it is:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:Home;P:sunflower;H:false;;

T is the security type, S the network name, P the password and H whether the network is hidden. Nothing else is stored, so there is no link to a website and no account involved.

Who can see the password

Anyone who scans the code can read the password, because it sits in the pattern as plain text. A QR code reader shows it in full. Treat a printed code like a password written on a card:

• Put it where you would happily tell people the password, such as inside a home, a meeting room or behind a counter.
• If your router supports a separate guest network, make the code for that network rather than your main one.
• If you ever change the password, the old code stops working. Make a new one and replace the print.

The code itself is made in your browser. The password is not sent anywhere and is not saved with your recent work on this site.

Printing ideas that work

A quick rule for distance: the code should be about one tenth as wide as the distance people will scan from. If the code is going into a printed sheet with other pages, turn the PNG into a PDF to print it.

Adding a line of text under the code, such as the network name, helps people who cannot scan. Keep a plain border around the code itself; the generator adds a four-module margin, and cropping it off makes scanning harder.

When a phone will not join

• It shows the network but fails to connect: the password or the security type is wrong. Check WPA versus WEP and retype the password, paying attention to capital letters.
• Nothing happens on scan: open the camera app rather than a third-party scanner, hold steady, and make sure the whole code and its margin are in view. On many Android phones the WiFi settings screen also has a scan button.
• It joins at home but not in the shop: the shop may use a network that asks for a username as well. This code format covers networks that need only a password.
• It worked last month: the router password or network name changed. Make a new code.

Questions

Does a WiFi QR code work on both iPhone and Android?

Yes, with the built-in camera on current iPhones and Android phones. The phone shows the network name and joins when you tap it.

Can I add a logo or change the colours?

Yes. The same design options as the main QR code generator are on the WiFi page. Keep the code dark on a light background, and let the scan check confirm it still reads.

Does the code expire?

No. It keeps working until you change the network name or password.

Is my WiFi password stored by this site?

No. The code is generated on your device, and the password only exists in what you type and in the file you download.