Reading your WiFi password out, or scribbling it on a scrap of paper for visitors, is a small daily annoyance. A WiFi QR code fixes it: a guest points their phone camera at the code and taps to join. No typing, no spelling out capital letters and symbols. Here is how they work and how to make one.
What a WiFi QR code actually contains
It is not magic and it is not a security risk in itself. The code holds a short piece of text in a standard format with three things: the network name (SSID), the password, and the encryption type (almost always WPA these days). When a phone scans it, the camera recognises the WiFi format and offers to connect using those details.
What you need
- Network name (SSID) exactly as it appears, capitals included.
- Password, again exactly, symbols and all.
- Encryption type: WPA or WPA2 for almost everyone. Choose None only for a genuinely open network.
If your network name is hidden, there is usually a hidden-network option to tick as well.
Where it is useful
- Home. Stick it on the fridge or by the router for visitors.
- Cafes, salons, waiting rooms. A small card on the table beats staff repeating the password all day.
- Holiday lets and spare rooms. One code in the welcome pack saves a dozen messages.
A note on safety
Anyone who scans the code gets onto that network, so treat the code like the password itself: fine for a space you control, but do not post your main home network in public. Many routers let you run a separate guest network, which is the tidy answer: put the guest network on the card and keep your main one private.
Make one with the QR code generator: choose the WiFi type, enter the network name, password and encryption, and download it to print. It all happens in your browser, so the password never leaves your device.