How to make a Wi-Fi QR code for guests

Stop spelling out your password. A Wi-Fi QR code lets visitors join your network by pointing a camera at a card or sign. Here is how to make one that works first time.

Why bother

If you host people — at home, in a holiday rental, in a shop or café — you answer the same question constantly: "What's the Wi-Fi?" Reading out a long, random password is slow and error-prone, and writing it on a whiteboard is not much better. A Wi-Fi QR code carries the network name, password, and security type, so a guest opens their camera, points it at the code, and taps "Join". One scan, online.

Before you start: find your details

You need three things, all exactly as they appear on your router or in your phone's Wi-Fi settings:

Network name (SSID) — the name you tap to connect. It is case-sensitive, so copy it precisely.
Password — the network key, also case-sensitive.
Security type — almost always WPA (which covers WPA2 and WPA3). Only very old networks use WEP, and open networks use no password.

A strong tip for hosts: if your router supports a guest network, set one up and make the code for that instead of your main network. Guests get online without ever seeing your primary password, and you keep your main network private.

Step by step

Open the Wi-Fi QR code generator.
Type your network name exactly, watching capitalisation and spaces.
Choose the security type — pick WPA unless you know your network is WEP or open.
Enter the password carefully and double-check it against your router.
If your SSID is hidden (not broadcast), tick that box; otherwise leave it off.
Download the code: PNG for a quick share, SVG for a printed card or sign that will look sharp at any size.

Test it before you print a stack

Always scan your own code with a phone that is not already on the network — otherwise you cannot tell whether it really connected. Forget the network first if you need to. On most modern iPhones and Android phones the built-in camera shows a "Join network" prompt automatically; if nothing happens, open a QR scanner app that supports Wi-Fi codes. Confirm a clean first-try connection before committing to a print run.

Where to put it

Placement decides how often it actually gets used. Good spots include a small framed card on a side table or reception desk, a fridge magnet in a holiday rental, a table tent in a café, or a tidy sign in the guest room. Print it big enough to scan comfortably from a normal arm's length — a 2.5 cm (one inch) square is a sensible minimum on a card, larger on a wall — and leave a clear white border around it so cameras can find the edges. Add a friendly line of text like "Scan to join the Wi-Fi" so guests know what it is.

Common mistakes to avoid

Typos in the SSID or password. These fields are case-sensitive; one wrong character means no connection.
Wrong security type. Selecting WEP or "no password" for a WPA network will stop phones connecting — leave it on WPA when in doubt.
Ticking "hidden" unnecessarily. Only use it for genuinely non-broadcasting networks; setting it on a normal network can break the scan.
Printing it too small or low-contrast. A dense code over a busy background is the most common reason a scan fails.
Forgetting the password is visible. Anyone who can scan the code can read your password, so place it accordingly — a guest network keeps your main one safe.

Ready?

Make your code now with the Wi-Fi QR code generator. Curious whether a static or dynamic code suits another project? Read static vs dynamic QR codes.