QR Code Origins

  • Invented: 1994 by Denso Wave (Toyota subsidiary) to track car parts in manufacturing
  • Name: 'Quick Response'—designed to be scanned 10x faster than barcodes
  • Patent: Denso Wave owns it but chose NOT to enforce it, enabling global adoption

QR Code Types This Tool Supports

  • URL: Auto-opens website (most common use—menus, links, payments)
  • WiFi: Scan to connect—perfect for guest networks, cafes, Airbnbs
  • vCard: Scan to save contact—put on business cards, email signatures
  • Email: Opens compose with pre-filled address (mailto: protocol)
  • Phone: Tap to call (tel: protocol)
  • SMS: Opens text message with pre-filled number and message

Error Correction Levels

  • L (7%): Smallest QR, but easily damaged—use for perfect conditions
  • M (15%): Default balance—handles minor scratches or dirt
  • Q (25%): Good for printed materials that may get worn
  • H (30%): Maximum recovery—allows logos in center (up to 30% can be obscured!)

Creative QR Code Uses

  • Restaurant menus: COVID made these universal—no more sticky laminated menus
  • Gravestones: QR codes linking to memorial websites with photos and stories
  • Business cards: vCard QR saves your contact info with one scan
  • WiFi sharing: Print and frame near your router for guests
  • Scavenger hunts: Each QR reveals the next clue location
  • Art installations: QR codes as design elements linking to artist info

Real-World QR Statistics

  • 2022: 89 million US smartphone users scanned a QR code (up from 72M in 2019)
  • China: QR payments processed $1.8 TRILLION in 2020 (WeChat Pay, Alipay)
  • COVID impact: Restaurant QR menu usage jumped 750% in 2020
  • Maximum capacity: 4,296 alphanumeric characters (or 7,089 digits)
  • Smallest readable: About 1cm × 1cm for simple URLs (10 modules wide minimum)

QR Code Best Practices

  • Test before printing: Scan with multiple phones and apps
  • Quiet zone: Leave white border around QR (at least 4 modules wide)
  • Contrast matters: Dark foreground on light background works best
  • Size rule: 10× the scanning distance in mm (10cm away = 1cm QR minimum)
  • Short URLs: Use URL shorteners for complex links—simpler QR = more reliable
  • Track scans: Use UTM parameters or QR analytics services

QR vs Other Codes

  • Barcode: 1D, holds ~20 chars, requires laser scanner
  • QR Code: 2D, holds ~4,000 chars, any camera works
  • Data Matrix: 2D, smaller than QR for same data, used in electronics/pharma
  • Aztec Code: 2D, no quiet zone needed, used in airline boarding passes