What is a Wi-Fi QR code?
A Wi-Fi QR code embeds your network name (SSID), password, and encryption type in a single image. When someone scans it, their phone offers to join the network in one tap instead of opening Settings.
Modern iPhones and Android phones support this from the native camera app. Older devices may need a dedicated scanner.
Common uses
- Café and restaurant guest Wi-Fi cards on tables
- Hotel and Airbnb welcome packs
- Conference and event venue networks
- Office reception areas and meeting rooms
- Home guest networks without sharing the main password
How to create one
- Pick Wi-Fi as the QR type in the generator.
- Enter the network name (SSID) exactly as it appears in your router settings.
- Choose the encryption — WPA/WPA2/WPA3 for most modern networks.
- Type the password. It is encoded into the image locally, never uploaded.
- Toggle 'hidden' if your network does not broadcast its SSID.
- Adjust colours, add a logo, and download SVG for printing or PNG for screens.
Best practices
- Use a separate guest network. If the QR is printed, you can rotate the guest password without changing your main one.
- Keep the SSID short and avoid emoji — some scanners fail on them.
- Pick WPA2 or WPA3. WEP is broken and Open exposes traffic.
- Print at 3–5 cm minimum. Smaller works on phones nearby but breaks at table distance.
- Add a small label like 'Scan to connect — Wi-Fi' so people know what it is.
Test before printing
- Scan from a fresh phone that has never joined the network before.
- Try both iPhone and Android — Android sometimes ignores the hidden flag.
- Test in the actual lighting of the venue. Glossy laminate can wash the QR out.
- Check that the camera app shows a 'Join network' prompt, not just the password text.
Wi-Fi QR vs. typing the password
Typing a 16-character WPA password on a phone keyboard is friction. Most guests give up and ask for it again. A printed Wi-Fi QR replaces that with one scan, which is why cafés and hotels keep adopting them.
The trade-off is that anyone who can photograph the card can join your network. Use a guest network with no access to internal devices, and rotate the password if a printed card disappears.