What a text QR code is good for
Most QR codes hold links. Converting text to QR code puts the words themselves in the code, so the phone shows them straight away, even with no signal. That makes it the right choice when the message is short and should not depend on a website.
It is also the most private kind of code. There is no page to visit, so nobody logs the scan. Remember the other side of that: anyone who scans it can read it, so do not put passwords or personal details in a code you display in public.
- Serial numbers, asset tags and batch codes on equipment and stock.
- Short instructions on machines, such as how to reset a router.
- A hidden message in a card, a gift or a treasure hunt clue.
- Offline information for remote places: a trail marker, a boat, a field station.
- A code, reference or booking number people need to copy exactly.
How to convert text to QR code
- Choose the Text type above.
- Type or paste your text. Line breaks are kept.
- Style the code; add a frame with a label such as "Scan to read" if people will not expect text.
- Scan it to check the text reads correctly, including any accents or symbols.
- Download PNG, SVG or PDF, or copy it to the clipboard.
How much text fits in a QR code
A QR code can hold just under 3,000 characters of ordinary text, but you should rarely go near that. Every extra character adds dots, and a dense code needs to be printed larger and scanned closer. Adding a logo takes more room again, because error correction is raised to keep the code readable.
As a guide, under 300 characters scans easily from a small print. For longer content, a document or web page linked from the code is kinder to the reader.
Accented letters, other alphabets and emoji all work, but each takes more space than a plain letter, so the code grows faster. Always scan your finished design once before printing to check the words come out as you typed them.
Text code or text message
A text QR code shows words on screen. If you want a scan to open a text message ready to send to your number, use the SMS type instead: enter the number and the message and the phone's messaging app does the rest. For email, use the Email type.
If you need a QR code generator with text below the code, use a frame: it adds a label under the code, such as your name or "Scan me". And to go the other way, from a QR code back to text, the NeoReader scanner reads a code from your camera or an image and shows its contents.
Text codes are static like every NeoReader code. The words are fixed once printed and the code never expires, so it will read the same in ten years as it does today.
