Everyday math
Create a scannable QR code from text, a URL, contact details, or any short message without uploading it.
Enter your numbers to see the answer.
QR code generator guide
The QR code generator turns the text you type (a web address, a Wi-Fi string, a phone number, a short message) into a scannable code drawn as an SVG, entirely in your browser; nothing is uploaded and no account is needed. The code is built with error-correction level M, which lets a scanner recover the content even if about 15% of the symbol is damaged, obscured by a logo, or poorly printed. Around the pattern the tool leaves a quiet zone two modules wide, which most readers need to find the edges. The result can be downloaded as a scalable SVG that stays crisp at any size. Keep in mind that a QR code is not encryption: anyone who scans it reads exactly what you typed, so avoid passwords or personal data unless that is the point. Shorter content produces a smaller, more forgiving grid; a full URL with tracking parameters may need a larger printed size to scan reliably.
Text → bytes → data codewords + Reed–Solomon error-correction codewords (level M, about 15% recoverable) → module grid + 2-module quiet zone → SVG.
Worked example with the default text https://numbertrove.com/. The string is 24 characters long and is encoded in byte mode. At error-correction level M, 24 bytes fit within a version 2 symbol, which is a 25 × 25 module grid with 16 error-correction codewords and 28 data codewords. With the 2-module quiet zone on each side the drawn area is (25 + 2 + 2) = 29 modules across, rendered at 260 pixels. The page shows a “Ready QR code” status and the SVG, which scans to open https://numbertrove.com/. Doubling the URL length would push the symbol up to version 4 (33 × 33) at the same level.
The input is plain text; every character counts, and non-ASCII characters take more bytes. The output is an SVG measured in modules (the small squares), rendered at 260 px here but scalable without loss. For print, a rule of thumb is a symbol at least 2 cm (about 0.8 in) wide for a version 2 code scanned from 10–20 cm; scale up for larger versions or longer distances.
The result follows directly from the numbers you entered, so its accuracy is the accuracy of those inputs. The most common source of a surprising answer is a mismatch between the question you meant to ask and the one the calculator answered, so re-read the field labels if the figure looks wrong. The formula is shown above so you can check the arithmetic yourself. On this page the figure rests entirely on text or url, so start there if the qr code generator returns something you did not expect.
Good to know: the quiet zone matters, so do not crop right to the edge of the pattern or place it on a busy background. Dark-on-light is the standard; inverted colours confuse some readers. A URL without https:// may open as a text search rather than a link. Error correction M tolerates a small logo but not one covering the three corner finder patterns. Test the printed code with two different phones before distributing it.
The QR code is generated locally. Do not encode passwords, private keys, or other sensitive information because anyone who scans it can read the content.
Sources
How it works
Create a scannable QR code from text, a URL, contact details, or any short message without uploading it. This tool explains the calculation so you can adjust the assumptions to match your situation.
Worked example
With → Ready QR code (local QR generation). Change an input above and this example updates with your numbers.
Common questions
Level M, one of four levels defined by the QR standard: L recovers about 7% of damaged codewords, M about 15%, Q about 25%, and H about 30%. Higher levels need more modules for the same text, so M is a common balance for URLs.
At level M, a version 2 (25 × 25) code holds up to 32 bytes, enough for https://numbertrove.com/ at 24 characters. The largest, version 40 (177 × 177), holds about 2,331 bytes at level M. Shorter content is easier to scan.
No. The code is drawn in your browser as an SVG from the text you type, and nothing is sent to NumberTrove. That also means the code is only as private as the text itself; anyone who scans it can read the content.
A common minimum is 2 cm (0.8 in) across for a small code read from a phone at 10–20 cm; scale roughly 1:10 for the scan distance, so a poster read from 1 m should be at least 10 cm wide. Keep the quiet zone clear.
The usual causes are a missing quiet zone, printing too small, low contrast or inverted colours, a logo covering a corner finder pattern, or a very long URL producing a dense grid. Shorten the text or enlarge the print, then re-test.