SMS QR Code Generator
Create a QR code that opens a new text message to your number, with the words already written. Scanners just tap send. Free, instant, and built entirely in your browser.
Turn a scan into a text you actually receive
Asking people to text you usually means asking them to do several fiddly things first: copy a number, switch to their messages app, paste it in, and work out exactly what to write. Each step is a chance to give up. An SMS QR code removes them all at once. The reader points their camera at the code, a new message opens already addressed to you, and if you supplied a line of text it is waiting in the box. They add anything of their own and send.
That smoothness is what makes texting such a reliable response channel for short, time-sensitive prompts: a "text us to book" card on a counter, a keyword opt-in on a poster or flyer, a feedback or review request on a receipt, a quick way for event attendees to reach a help line, or a competition entry where every message needs the same keyword. Because the reply lands in your normal inbox, you can answer from the phone you already carry.
How to create your SMS QR code
- Enter the phone number that should receive the text. Include the country code with a leading plus for codes that may be scanned in another country.
- Optionally write the message you want pre-filled, such as a keyword for an opt-in or a short template for support requests.
- Download the PNG for digital placements or the SVG for print, then scan it yourself to confirm the draft opens with the right number and text.
Why we use the SMSTO format
Behind the scenes the code holds an SMSTO: string — the number
followed by your optional message. We chose this form deliberately. Several
encodings exist for text-message codes, and the older SMS:
variant is read inconsistently across devices, sometimes opening the right
recipient but dropping the pre-filled text, or vice versa. The
SMSTO: form is the one phone cameras handle most dependably, so a
code you print today behaves the same on a friend's phone as it does on yours.
Either way, nothing is sent automatically and no number or message touches our
servers — the reader stays in control and presses send.
Keep it scannable
A short number with a brief keyword makes a light, easy-to-read code. Long pre-filled messages add data and produce a denser pattern, so keep the text concise, print the code at a comfortable size with a clear margin around it, and favour the SVG download for anything that will be enlarged on a sign. As always, dark modules on a light background give the most reliable scan, and a quick test with your own phone before printing saves reprints later.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when someone scans an SMS QR code?
Their phone opens its messaging app with a new text already addressed to your number. If you added a message, it is pre-typed in the box too. The person just reviews it and taps send — no saving your number, no typing.
Can I pre-fill the text of the message?
Yes. Anything you type in the message box appears in the draft. This is ideal for keyword opt-ins ("Text JOIN to subscribe"), support triggers, or competition entries where you want every reply to arrive in the same recognisable format.
Does scanning send the message automatically?
No. The code only opens a draft in the scanner's own messaging app; nothing is sent until they press send, and standard message rates from their carrier apply. The whole code is built in your browser, so no number or text passes through us.
Why does this use the SMSTO format?
There are a few competing ways to encode a text message in a QR code. We use the "SMSTO:" form because it is the most consistently understood across iPhone and Android cameras; the older "SMS:" variant behaves unpredictably on some devices, occasionally dropping the pre-filled message.
How should I write the phone number?
Type it however is natural — spaces, dashes, and brackets are fine, and we strip them automatically. For anything that may be scanned abroad, include the country code with a leading plus sign (for example +1 or +44) so the message reaches you wherever the scanner is.