Free QR code generator
Create a free trackable QR code.
Paste any link and get a scannable QR code instantly — no account, no watermark, no expiry. Turn on tracking and every scan is counted in real time, with a destination you can change long after the code is printed.
Download is free and unlimited. Tracking is optional — switch it on and we mint a short link behind the code so scans become measurable.
Type a link above and your QR code appears here instantly — free, no account needed.
- Unlimited QR codes with no account required
- High-resolution PNG and print-ready vector SVG
- Real-time scan tracking by location, device, and time
- Editable destination — reprint nothing when plans change
- No watermark and no expiry on generated codes
- Works with any link, menu, form, or landing page
Instant generation
Your QR code renders as you type — no waiting, no processing queue, no email gate. Pick a size and download a PNG for screens or an SVG that stays crisp at any print dimension.
Real scan analytics
Trackable codes route through a Shortly short link, so every scan is recorded with country, city, device type, browser, and referrer. You see which poster, package, or table tent actually worked.
Editable after printing
The code encodes a short link, not the final destination. Change where it points whenever you like and every printed code follows — no reprint, no new artwork, no wasted stock.
How to make a trackable QR code
Three steps, about thirty seconds. You only need an account if you want to keep the scan history and edit the destination later.
Paste your link
Drop any URL into the generator above — a menu, product page, booking form, PDF, or landing page. The QR code appears immediately in the preview.
Turn on tracking
Tick 'Make this QR trackable'. We create a short link behind the code so each scan is counted, and so the destination stays editable after you print.
Download and print
Choose PNG for digital use or SVG for print, then download. Test the code on one phone before committing to a large print run.
Static vs dynamic QR codes
A static code bakes the destination into the pattern itself. A dynamic code points at a short link you control. The difference only matters after you have printed a few hundred of them — which is exactly when it matters most.
| Static QR code | Dynamic QR code (Shortly) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free to generate | Yes | Yes |
| Works forever once printed | Yes | Yes |
| Counts scans | No | Yes |
| Shows location and device data | No | Yes |
| Destination editable after printing | No | Yes |
| Fix a typo without reprinting | No | Yes |
| Pattern complexity | Grows with URL length | Always compact and easy to scan |
| Best for | One-off personal use | Campaigns, print runs, packaging |
What people use trackable QR codes for
Anywhere a printed surface needs to reach a digital destination — and anywhere you would regret not knowing whether it worked.
Restaurant menus
Put one code on the table and update the menu daily. Seasonal changes and price updates never require new table tents.
Product packaging
Link to setup guides, warranty registration, or reorder pages. Swap the destination as the product line evolves without touching the print artwork.
Events and signage
Route attendees to schedules, maps, or feedback forms, and see which entrance, booth, or banner actually drove scans.
Business cards
One code for your portfolio, calendar, or contact page. Change jobs and the card keeps working — just repoint the link.
Retail and print ads
Measure which store, magazine, or billboard placement returned scans, and compare them against each other with real numbers.
Forms and reviews
Collect reviews, applications, or survey responses without asking anyone to type a long URL from a printed page.
Why free QR generators usually are not free
Most 'free' QR generators give you a code that quietly stops working. The pattern points at their domain, and after a trial window they gate the redirect behind a paid plan — so codes already printed on a thousand menus simply break. Others stamp a watermark into the artwork or cap you at a handful of codes per month.
Shortly's generator has no trial clock on the code itself. Generating and downloading is unlimited and free, with no watermark. The links behind trackable codes keep resolving as long as you keep them active, and you control whether a link stays live from your dashboard.
The honest trade-off: to keep scan history and edit destinations later, you need a free account so the links are attached to something you own. Generating and downloading a code needs nothing at all.
What scan tracking actually tells you
A trackable code records each scan as a click on the short link behind it. That gives you the total scan count, the time of each scan, the approximate location down to city level, the device type and operating system, and the referrer when one exists.
In practice, that answers the questions print campaigns normally cannot. Which of the three poster designs pulled scans. Whether the packaging insert outperformed the shelf talker. What time of day people actually scan a table tent. Whether a conference booth was worth the floor fee.
Scan data is aggregate and location is approximate — derived from network metadata, not GPS. It is designed to tell you what is working, not to identify individuals.
Printing QR codes that reliably scan
Download the SVG for anything that goes to print. It is a vector, so it stays sharp at any size, while a PNG scaled up past its native resolution will blur and can fail to scan.
Keep the code at least 2 x 2 cm (about 0.8 inches) for close-range scanning, and scale up roughly one centimetre for every additional ten centimetres of scanning distance. Posters read from across a room need to be much larger than most people expect.
Leave the quiet zone — the white margin around the pattern — intact. Cropping it is the single most common reason a printed code fails. Keep strong contrast between the code and its background, avoid placing it over busy photography, and never invert it to a light pattern on a dark field unless you have tested it on several phones.
Always test the final printed proof with more than one device before approving a full run.
Free QR code generator FAQ
Is this QR code generator really free?
Yes. Generating and downloading QR codes is unlimited and free, with no watermark and no expiry on the code. A free account is only needed if you want to keep scan history and edit a code's destination later.
Do I need an account to create a QR code?
No. Paste a link, download the PNG or SVG, and you are done. Signing up adds a dashboard where you can see scan analytics and change where each code points.
Can I track how many people scan my QR code?
Yes. Turn on 'Make this QR trackable' and the code routes through a short link, so every scan is counted along with location, device, browser, and referrer data in real time.
Can I change where the QR code points after printing?
Yes, as long as tracking is on. The code encodes a short link rather than the final URL, so you can edit the destination at any time and every printed copy follows the change instantly.
Do the QR codes expire?
No. The image is yours permanently, and trackable links keep resolving as long as you keep them active. We do not disable working codes to push you onto a paid plan.
What is the difference between a static and a dynamic QR code?
A static code has the destination encoded directly in the pattern — it cannot be tracked or edited. A dynamic code points at a short link you control, so scans are measurable and the destination can change without reprinting.
Should I download PNG or SVG?
Use SVG for anything printed, because vectors stay sharp at any size. Use PNG for screens, slides, emails, and social posts where a fixed-resolution image is easier to place.
How small can a QR code be and still scan?
Keep it at least 2 x 2 cm for close-range scanning, and scale up about one centimetre for every extra ten centimetres of scanning distance. Always preserve the white quiet zone around the pattern.
Is there a limit on how many QR codes I can make?
No. You can generate and download as many as you want, free, without an account.
Can I use these QR codes commercially?
Yes. QR is an open standard and the codes you generate are yours to use on packaging, menus, signage, advertising, and any other commercial material.
Start free
Generate a trackable QR code in seconds.
No credit card, no watermark, no expiry. Create your code above, then sign up free to keep the scan history and edit the destination whenever you need to.