How to Create a QR Code for a Link and Check Its Destination
To create a QR code for a link, paste the full website address into a QR generator, create the code and download the image. Before sharing it, scan the downloaded file and confirm that the detected address is the one you intended. A code can scan correctly while pointing to an unavailable or incorrect page.
1. Start with the page customers should see
Open the exact page in your browser and copy its address. For a restaurant, this might be the menu page rather than the homepage. For a document, use a publicly accessible file link rather than a local file path. Avoid a link copied from an administrator dashboard or a temporary preview.
Test the address in a private browser window. If it asks you to sign in, visitors may face the same restriction. A shared-file link must have the right access permissions; generating a QR code does not change them.
2. Generate the code from your address
Open the free QR code generator, paste your address and choose Create QR code. Check the destination shown under the preview. Including the full https:// or http:// address makes your intention explicit. When a domain has no protocol, this tool assumes HTTPS.
The tool creates a static code. It does not need artificial intelligence to encode the address, and it does not replace your link with a tracking service. Keep private passwords, signed access links and account recovery links out of codes intended for public distribution.
3. Save the PNG image
Choose Download PNG. On supported devices, this opens image-sharing options; choose a save action if one is offered. Otherwise, the tool opens an image preview with a PNG download option. A browser may save to Files or Downloads rather than Photos. Keep the original PNG instead of taking a screenshot, which can introduce cropping or compression. The current interface does not offer SVG or PDF exports.
4. Scan the actual download
Compare the address, not just its appearance: a scanner may shorten a preview or display encoded characters differently. If a preview is ambiguous, inspect the full address before deciding that the stored link changed.
Display the downloaded image on another screen or print a test copy. Point your phone camera or QR scanner at it and inspect the address preview before opening it. For an image saved on the same phone, use your device’s supported image-scanning feature or a second device; tapping an image alone does not necessarily scan it.
Check both the detected address and the page that finally loads. The destination server may redirect an otherwise correct link. If the address is wrong, generate a new code. If the address is right but the page fails, investigate the destination website or its access settings.
5. Keep the destination available
A static QR image has no built-in subscription expiry. However, the linked domain or page can stop working. For printed materials, use an address you control and expect to maintain. You can update the content at that address later, but you cannot edit the address already encoded in the printed squares.
For printed copies, preserve the white margin. DENSO WAVE specifies a four-module quiet zone around the symbol. See the original margin guidance, our printing checklist and the QR FAQ.
How we checked the current PNG files
We ran automated checks against the current PNG-only interface using Playwright with Chromium and WebKit at a mobile viewport. The checks covered both a simulated native-share File and an actual PNG download from the fallback preview. jsQR decoded the image bytes so that we could compare the stored address with the expected text.
The recorded run contains 16 successful comparisons across four input addresses, two browser engines and two save paths. The inputs include HTTP, HTTPS with query parameters and a fragment, a Japanese path, and a domain without a protocol. In these test cases, only the scheme-less input is expected to gain https://. Leading or trailing whitespace is trimmed before validation.
Read the dated PNG test inputs and results (JSON). Native sharing was simulated to inspect the image file; these were not physical iPhone or Android share-sheet, photo-library or printer tests. Browser checks do not prove destination safety or availability, or reliability on every device. Scan your own saved image and final-size print before distribution.