What a QR code is and how it works
A QR code is a black and white square that stores information a smartphone can read. QR stands for quick response. The camera decodes the pattern in a fraction of a second, then opens the content behind it.
In the vast majority of cases, that content is a url. Scanning takes you to a web page, a video, a PDF or a form. A code can also hold plain text, Wi-Fi credentials, a phone number or a contact card in vCard format.
If the technical side interests you, we have covered how a qr code works in a dedicated article. For now, remember one thing: the code is only a container, what matters is the page it points to.
How to create a QR code in a few steps
Creating one is simpler than people think. Five minutes is enough on any decent generator, with nothing to install.
- Pick the type of code: link, PDF, video, Wi-Fi, contact card.
- Paste the link or enter the data you want the code to carry.
- Adjust the colours and the shape of the modules, then add a logo.
- Generate the preview and test it on two different phones, iOS and Android.
- Download a PNG for the web, or an SVG or PDF for print.
Testing before you publish is not optional. A code printed 10,000 times with a mistyped url is expensive to fix.
How to create a QR code from a link
This is the most common case. Copy your page address, paste it into the generator, and the code appears straight away. Avoid endless urls stuffed with tracking parameters: the longer the string, the denser the pattern and the harder it is to scan from a distance.
How to create a QR code in Canva
Canva has a QR app built into its editor. Open a design, search for "QR" in the Apps menu, paste your link, and the code drops straight into the layout. Handy for a flyer or a poster, but the code stays static: it can no longer be changed once it is published.
Creating a QR code for a video, Instagram or Facebook
The principle is the same: you encode the address of the YouTube video, the Instagram profile or the Facebook page. Instagram also offers its own code in the account settings, and WhatsApp generates a contact code in the business profile settings.
Creating a QR code for your Google reviews
Go to your Google Business Profile, open the "Ask for reviews" section and copy the short link it gives you. Encode it and print the result on the bill holder: the customer leaves a rating in seconds, without hunting for your name in Maps.
Creating a QR code for free: how far free goes
Yes, generating a QR code is free. The real question is what comes next: being able to change the destination and count the scans.
| Criterion | Static QR code | Dynamic QR code |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, no account needed | Subscription, often €5 to €15 per month |
| Changing the destination | Impossible once printed | Any time, without reprinting |
| Scan statistics | None | Scan counts, dates, devices |
| Pattern density | High if the url is long | Low, short link |
| Typical use | Wi-Fi, contact cards, events | Menus, marketing campaigns, promotions |
A restaurateur who changes the menu four times a year and reprints everything each time spends more on printing than on a subscription.
Customising a QR code without breaking it
A code can carry your visual identity. You can customise the colours, round off the shape of the modules, restyle the corner eyes and add a logo in the middle. Three rules will save you trouble.
- Keep strong contrast: dark pattern on a light background, never the other way round.
- The logo must not cover more than 25% of the surface.
- Leave the white margin around the square, it tells the scanner where the code begins.
Printing: size, format and high resolution
Allow 2 cm per side minimum for a scan at 30 cm, and use a simple rule for large formats: divide the reading distance by ten to get the size of the code. A poster read from 3 metres away therefore needs 30 cm.
Always download a vector file, SVG or PDF, for high resolution printing. A low-resolution PNG blown up goes blurry, and customers give up after two attempts.
Linking your QR code to your restaurant menu
On a table, a QR code is only worth having if it opens a page that loads fast, reads well on mobile and is up to date. A scanned PDF drives people away: they have to zoom, it is heavy, and it never gets updated.
That is exactly what our qr menu does: change a dish and the page updates instantly for every customer. If you are starting from scratch, follow our guide to create a qr code menu in an afternoon.
The same code can then open up several things from a single visit: today's menu, allergens, bookings, reviews. One use per table, and your campaigns become measurable.