How to make a Wi-Fi QR code

A Wi-Fi QR code is a scannable shortcut so guests can join your network without typing a long password. On this site you build it on the Wi-Fi tab of the QR code generator. The tab asks for three network fields only: network name (SSID), Wi-Fi password, and encryption (WPA/WPA2, WEP, or no password). You can also pick size and error-correction level, set foreground and background colors, preview the code, and download PNG or SVG. If the colors have weak contrast, the tool shows a warning.

Fake cafe example

Use these demo values (not a real network):

• Network name: Guest-Cafe
• Wi-Fi password: example-password-123
• Encryption: WPA/WPA2

The generator encodes that into a WIFI:… payload the preview renders as a QR image. The locked test for this article checks that exact payload string so the example stays honest.

Special characters in the network name or password are escaped with a backslash before encoding: \, ;, ,, :, and ". For example, a password that contains ; and : is written with \; and \: inside the P: field so scanners do not treat those characters as field separators.

Steps

1. Open the QR tool and select the Wi-Fi tab.
2. Enter the network name guests should join.
3. Enter the Wi-Fi password (or choose no password if that is truly how the network is set up).
4. Choose encryption to match the router setting.
5. Adjust size if you need a larger print.
6. Download PNG for quick printing, or SVG if you want a sharp vector.

Do not invent extra fields the tab does not show. There is no separate “hidden network” control in the current UI, and there is no dynamic redirect service behind the code.

Security note (plain)

Anyone who scans the code can see the network password, because the password is part of what the QR encodes. Do not tape the printout on a street-facing window or leave it on a table where strangers can scan it. For a guest network, prefer a password you are willing to rotate, and regenerate the QR when you change it.

If you are choosing a new guest password, generate one in the password generator rather than reusing a staff password. For how passphrase length compares with a random string under this site’s entropy math, read passphrase vs random password.

Phones and scanning

Phone behavior after a scan can vary by device and OS version. Test with the phones your guests actually use rather than assuming one join flow.

Print and placement tips

Use a larger size setting when the code will sit across a room. Keep enough quiet margin around the square so table clutter does not confuse cameras. Prefer strong contrast between foreground and background; the tool warns when contrast is too weak.

Replace the code when you rotate the guest password. A stack of outdated flyers is worse than no flyer: guests join a dead password and blame your network.

For cafe counters, prefer a guest SSID with limited privileges rather than sharing the staff network in the QR. That separation is a router configuration choice, not something the QR generator can enforce.

Matching encryption to the router

Pick WPA/WPA2 when the router uses that family (the common home case). Pick WEP only if the network truly still uses WEP. Pick no password only for an open network you intentionally leave open. A mismatch between the QR encryption field and the real router setting is a frequent reason scans fail to join even when the password string is correct.

Prefer simple guest names when you can: fewer surprises for older phone cameras.

Build yours

Switch to the Wi-Fi tab, type the Guest-Cafe demo (or your real network), and download a PNG to try a scan on your own phone before you print a stack.