How to Create a QR Code From a Link

To make a QR code from a link, shorten the link here, then click Download QR to save a free high-resolution PNG — no sign-up, no expiry, and every scan is tracked for you.

A QR code is just a scannable shortcut to a web address. Instead of asking someone to type a long URL, they point their phone camera at the square and it opens instantly. Below is the whole process — paste a link, get a QR code, download it, and put it anywhere people can see it.

Step 1 – Shorten or paste your link

Paste the long link you want to share into the box above. That might be your shop's WhatsApp catalogue, a Google Form, your menu, a product page, or any other web address. You can leave it as-is, or add an optional keyword so the short link reads cleanly — for example tools.wasoolo.com/menu/a1b2c3. Press the button and Wasoolo Tools creates a short, permanent link in a second. If you only need the short link itself, the custom URL shortener covers that in detail.

Step 2 – Generate the QR code

You don't have to do anything extra — the QR code is generated automatically. As soon as your short link appears in the result card, a matching QR code shows right beside it. That square encodes your short link, so anyone who scans it lands on your original destination. When you're happy with it, click Download QR to save the image. There's no separate tool to open and no settings to wrestle with; if you prefer a dedicated walkthrough, the free QR code generator page explains every option.

Step 3 – Download and place your QR code

Click Download QR and a high-resolution PNG saves to your device — phone or computer. From there you can drop it into a poster, a printed flyer, a WhatsApp status, a social post, or a Word/Canva document. The image has a transparent-free white background and clear margins, so it works on both screen and paper without extra editing. Keep the file somewhere you'll find it again; since your link never expires, the same QR code keeps working for years.

Choosing the right size and format

A few simple rules keep your QR code easy to scan:

• Format: the download is a PNG, which stays crisp on screens and prints sharply. Avoid re-saving it as a low-quality JPG — that can blur the squares.
• Minimum print size: aim for at least 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 inch) for something held in the hand, and bigger for anything viewed from a distance. A rough guide is roughly 1 cm of QR for every 1 metre of scanning distance, so a wall poster wants a much larger code.
• Quiet zone: always leave a clear white margin (the "quiet zone") around all four sides. The downloaded PNG already includes this — don't crop it off, or phones may fail to read the code.
• Contrast: keep it dark squares on a light background. Printing it tiny, faint, or on a busy photo makes it hard for cameras to lock on.

Testing your QR code before printing

Never send a QR code to the printer without testing it first. Open your phone's camera (or any QR scanner app), point it at the code on your screen or a draft printout, and confirm it opens the right page. Then test the printed version too, from a normal distance and in the lighting where people will actually scan it — a poster scanned across a room behaves differently from a sticker held at arm's length. If it opens your link cleanly, you're done. If your phone struggles, make the code larger, increase the contrast, or restore the white margin and try again.

Where to use it

Once your QR code is downloaded and tested, put it wherever your customers already look:

• In your shop: stick it on the counter, the door, or the window so walk-in customers can scan to reach your catalogue, price list, or WhatsApp.
• On a restaurant menu: link straight to a digital menu, today's deals, or an online-order page — no app to download.
• In your Instagram or TikTok bio: share the QR in a story or post so followers reach your booking page or shop in one tap.
• Over SMS or chat: the short link works perfectly in a text message, and the QR works for printed material — same destination, two ways to reach it.
• On a business card or invoice: a small printed code turns a paper card into a tap-to-open contact or payment page.

Every one of those scans is counted for you. Pop open the stats page linked from your result card to see how many people scanned and clicked, and check the free link analytics to learn which placement is pulling its weight — handy if you, like many Wasoolo shopkeepers, are testing where to put your QR code first.

New to short links? Start with the free URL shortener, or browse the frequently asked questions for quick answers about links, QR codes, and analytics.