WiFi QR Code Generator

What is inside a WiFi QR code

There is nothing special about the image. A WiFi QR code is an ordinary QR code that holds one line of text in a format first proposed by the ZXing barcode project and later written into the Wi-Fi Alliance's WPA3 specification. Phones recognise the WIFI: prefix and offer to join instead of showing the text. This generator writes the fields in this order: T: for the security type, S: for the network name, H:true if you ticked Hidden network, and P: for the password (left out for open networks), followed by a closing semicolon so the line always ends in ;;.

Worked example

A café network called Cafe;Guest with WPA2 and the password brew:"strong" produces this payload:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:Cafe\;Guest;P:brew\:\"strong\";;

The semicolon in the name, and the colon and quotes in the password, each get a backslash so the phone does not read them as field separators. Without that, a phone would think the network was called Cafe. The 45-character payload fits in a version 4 QR code, 33 modules square. The download is named wifi-Cafe_Guest.png: each run of characters other than letters, digits, dots, hyphens and underscores becomes a single underscore.

An open lobby network with a hidden name is shorter still: WIFI:T:nopass;S:Lobby;H:true;;. At the other extreme, a 32-character network name (the WiFi maximum) with a 63-character WPA2 passphrase (also the maximum) makes a 113-character payload (more if either contains characters that need escaping) and a version 6 code of 41×41 modules. Denser codes need to be printed larger to scan reliably from the same distance.

Printing and placing it

• The PNG is 256×256 pixels, black on white, with a two-module white border and medium error correction (level M, which tolerates roughly 15% damage). Leave extra white space around it on the page; a code pressed against a dark edge or another graphic is harder to detect.
• If you enlarge it in a layout app, turn off smoothing or resample with nearest-neighbour, so the square modules stay sharp instead of blurring into grey.
• Scan the printed copy before you laminate or frame it. Our QR Code Scanner shows the exact decoded text, which is the quickest way to spot a typo in the password.
• Print the network name and password in plain text underneath too, for laptops and anyone whose camera will not cooperate.

Limits

The generator does not check that the password is correct or the right length for your router; WPA2 passphrases must be 8 to 63 characters, and a wrong one produces a code that scans fine and then fails to connect. It does not produce Enterprise, Passpoint or Wi-Fi Easy Connect (DPP) codes, does not set the optional WPA3 transition-disable field, and offers no colours, logos or SVG output. If you need a styled QR code for a URL or other text, use the general QR Code Generator. For the full field-by-field story, including why some codes refuse to scan on an iPhone, read the WIFI: QR code format, explained.

Frequently asked questions

Which phones can scan a WiFi QR code?

iPhones and iPads have joined networks from the stock Camera app since iOS 11, and Android phones can scan them from the Wi-Fi settings screen (Android 10 and later) or with Google Lens. On an iPhone, use the Camera app or the Code Scanner in Control Center. Many third-party scanner apps only show the decoded text instead of offering to join.

My network is WPA3. Which option do I pick?

Pick WPA/WPA2. The format has no separate WPA3 value: T:WPA covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3-Personal, and the phone negotiates whichever the router offers. The code holds only the network name and password, not the security version.

Is it safe to put a QR code with my WiFi password on the wall?

Treat it exactly like writing the password on the wall. A QR code is not encrypted: anyone who scans or photographs it can read the password in plain text, and a phone that joins once can usually share the password onward. For visitors, the safer pattern is a separate guest network with its own password, which you can change without touching your main network.

My password contains a semicolon or colon. Will the code still work?

Yes. The characters that have special meaning in the format, backslash, semicolon, comma, colon and double quote, are escaped with a backslash automatically in both the network name and the password. Most broken WiFi codes made by hand fail because those characters were not escaped.

Does this work for a work or school (Enterprise) network?

No. Networks that ask for a username as well as a password use 802.1X (WPA2- or WPA3-Enterprise), which needs extra fields this generator does not produce. Those fields are unofficial extensions that phones support inconsistently, so even a correct Enterprise code may not work on every device. This tool covers password-protected home and office networks, WEP, and open networks.