WiFi QR Codes: Let Guests Connect Without Typing a Password

A WiFi QR code lets guests join your network by pointing their phone camera at it. No reading a long password off the back of the router, no typos. Modern iPhones and Android phones support it directly from the camera.

It's a static code: the network name and password are stored in the code itself, in a standard format that looks like this:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:coffee2026;;

T is the security type, S the network name (SSID) and P the password. Because nothing passes through a server, the code works offline and never expires. It only stops working if you change the network name or password.

1. Open the WiFi QR code generator.
2. Enter your network name exactly as it appears in your phone's WiFi list. It's case-sensitive.
3. Enter the password exactly, also case-sensitive.
4. Choose the security type: WPA/WPA2 covers almost all modern home and business routers. Choose WEP only for very old equipment, and "None" for open networks.
5. Tick "hidden network" only if your network doesn't broadcast its name.
6. Add a frame such as "Scan to connect to WiFi" so people know what the code is for, then download and print.

Forget the network on your own phone first (otherwise it connects automatically and you learn nothing), then scan the code. Try one iPhone and one Android phone if you can. If it fails, the usual culprits are a typo in the name or password, the wrong security type, or a printed code that's too small.

• Cafés and restaurants: table tents, the counter, or the back of the menu.
• Holiday rentals and B&Bs: a framed card in each room and in the welcome guide.
• Offices and meeting rooms: a card on the meeting room table for visitors.
• Events: on the registration desk and on badges.
• At home: on the fridge for visiting friends and family.

• Use a separate guest network. Most routers can create one. Guests get internet access without being on the same network as your till, cameras or work computers.
• Remember the password is readable. Anyone who scans the code can see it. Don't put your main network's code in a public window.
• Change the guest password occasionally and print a new code. Old codes stop working as soon as you do.

• "Unable to join network": the password or security type is wrong. Recreate the code.
• Phone shows text instead of offering to join: the phone's camera may not support WiFi codes (some very old devices). Use a QR scanner app.
• Special characters in the name or password: characters like ; , : and quotes need to be escaped in the WiFi format. If a code with unusual characters fails, try a guest password without them.

Ready? Create your WiFi QR code. It's free.