Frequently Asked Questions

QR Forge is a free, browser-based QR code generator. You can create QR codes for URLs, WiFi networks, contact cards, email addresses, phone numbers, WhatsApp, SMS, GPS locations, and more — with full customization of colors, dot styles, logos, and size. Everything runs in your browser; no account is needed.

No. QR Forge is completely free to use for personal and commercial purposes. There are no premium tiers, no watermarks on downloaded codes, no daily limits, and no features hidden behind a paywall.

No. There is no sign-up, log-in, or account of any kind. Open the generator, create your QR code, and download it. That's the entire flow.

Visit the generator (or any specific tool page like /wifi-qr-code-generator), select your content type, enter your details, customize the appearance, and click Download. The whole process typically takes under a minute.

QR Forge supports: URL / website links, plain text, email (mailto:), phone numbers (tel:), SMS, WhatsApp messages, WiFi network credentials, vCard contacts, and GPS/Google Maps locations. More types are added regularly.

Yes. You can set any foreground color, any background color, or apply a linear or radial gradient to the foreground dots. Gradients include a direction picker and two color stops you can adjust independently.

Six dot styles: Square, Rounded, Dots, Classy, Classy Rounded, and Extra Rounded. Three corner square styles: Square, Rounded, and Dot. Two corner dot styles: Square and Dot. Mix and match for a unique look.

Yes. Upload any PNG, SVG, or JPEG image as a center logo. You can control the logo's width, height, and margin. Enable 'Hide dots behind logo' to create a clean transparent area. Use H-level error correction when adding a logo to ensure reliable scanning.

For digital use (screens, social media), 300×300px is standard. For print at small sizes (business cards, labels), use at least 400×400px or export as SVG, which is infinitely scalable. For signage scanned from distance, use at least 10×10 cm at print resolution.

Error correction allows a QR code to be scanned even if part of it is obscured or damaged. Level L recovers 7% damage, M recovers 15%, Q recovers 25%, and H recovers 30%. Use L or M for clean digital displays. Use Q or H when printing on textured surfaces or when adding a center logo.

Yes — the margin slider in the Size & QR tab lets you set the quiet zone from 0 to 40 pixels. A quiet zone of at least 4 modules (roughly 10–15px at 300px QR size) is recommended by the ISO standard for reliable scanning.

PNG, SVG, JPEG, and WEBP. SVG is a vector format — it has no fixed resolution and prints sharply at any size. PNG is the most universally compatible raster format. JPEG and WEBP produce smaller files but use lossy compression, which can subtly degrade QR code edges.

SVG is ideal for print because it's resolution-independent — your printer or designer can scale it to any size without pixelation. If you need a raster format for print, export PNG at 600px or higher.

PNG for maximum compatibility (emails, presentations, web). WEBP for smaller file size on modern websites. SVG for websites where you want a crisp vector rendering at any screen density.

No. Downloaded QR codes are clean — no watermarks, no branding, no attribution required. The image you download is exactly the QR code you designed.

The download size matches the QR size you set in the Size & QR tab (up to 600×600px for raster formats). For larger print-ready files, export as SVG and scale in your design software.

No. QR Forge generates static QR codes that encode data directly into the pattern. They have no expiry date and will continue to work as long as the destination (if a URL) remains active. The code itself is permanent.

iOS 11 and later scan QR codes natively with the built-in Camera app. Android 8+ supports native QR scanning in the Camera app on most devices (manufacturer behavior varies). Older devices need a dedicated QR scanner app such as Google Lens.

Common causes: insufficient contrast between foreground and background (avoid light-on-light or dark-on-dark), too small a quiet zone (increase margin), QR size too small for scanning distance, center logo too large for the error correction level used, or a complex URL that makes the QR very dense. Try increasing error correction to H, simplifying the encoded data, or increasing the QR size.

QR scanner apps read the pattern in the image, not the file format. PNG, SVG, and JPEG all contain the same QR pattern. Any QR scanner can read a properly printed QR code regardless of the file format used to create it.

Yes, as long as there is sufficient contrast between foreground and background. The general rule is a contrast ratio of at least 3:1. Avoid using very similar shades for dots and background, or colors that invert when printed (e.g. light cyan on white).

Your data is not stored anywhere by QR Forge. All QR generation runs entirely in your browser — no data you enter is transmitted to any server. WiFi passwords, contact details, URLs, and all other content you encode stays on your device.

A WiFi QR code contains your network name and password, so physical security matters. Anyone who can scan the QR code can join your network. Treat a WiFi QR like a written password: share it with trusted guests and don't post it publicly on the internet.

No analytics cookies, no advertising trackers, no session cookies. The only browser storage we use is a single localStorage item for your theme preference (light/dark mode). See our Privacy Policy for full details.

The page itself requires an internet connection to load. Once loaded, QR generation and download are entirely local — they work without further network access. We plan to add a Progressive Web App (PWA) mode for true offline use in a future update.