A QR code generator that stays out of the way

Why mqrlink exists

A QR code should keep working after you print it. Many generators hand out "free" codes that secretly route every scan through their own servers, then switch them off when a trial ends or a plan lapses. People find out when a stack of flyers or a restaurant's table cards suddenly open an error page.

mqrlink only makes static codes. Your link, WiFi details or contact card are written straight into the pattern, so there is nothing for us, or anyone else, to switch off.

Who it is for

Anyone who needs a dependable code without signing up for something: a café putting its WiFi on the counter, a freelancer adding a contact card to a business card, a teacher linking a worksheet, a shop owner putting a WhatsApp chat link in the window, or a developer who just needs a clean SVG.

How it works

The whole generator runs as JavaScript in your browser, using the open-source qrcode-generator library, which we host ourselves. When you type a link or upload a logo, the data stays on your device, and downloads are created on your device too. We do not run a database of codes and we cannot see what you create.

The content formats follow the conventions phones understand: WIFI: strings for networks, vCard 3.0 for contacts, iCalendar events, and standard mailto:, tel: and sms: links. Before each release, sample codes of every type and style are decoded by two independent QR decoders to check that they read back exactly.

Why it is free

Because the work happens in your browser, running mqrlink costs little more than hosting a website. The site may show a small number of clearly labelled ads to cover that. Ads never appear inside the generator or between the preview and the download buttons.

What we do not do

• No accounts, logins or email capture.
• No scan tracking or redirect links.
• No watermarks, trials or locked "premium" features.

What you can make

Fifteen content types, all static: website links, plain text, email, phone, SMS, WhatsApp, WiFi, vCard contact cards, and links to PDFs, images, videos, social profiles, map locations, calendar events and app stores. Every type supports the same design options: templates, frames with your own text, dot and corner shapes, solid or gradient colors, a transparent background and a centre logo.

Downloads come as PNG, SVG, JPG or WebP, from 128 to 4096 px, and you can copy the image straight to the clipboard. A built-in scanner reads codes from your camera or a screenshot so you can check your own work.

How we keep codes scannable

Design freedom is only useful if the result still reads. The generator measures the contrast between dots and background as you change colors, checks the logo against the error-correction level you picked, and flags very dense codes. Each warning says what to change. When a warning shows, the design is still yours to download; we just tell you the risk first.

Before each release, more than a hundred sample codes covering every type, template, frame and error-correction level are generated and decoded by two independent QR decoders to confirm they read back exactly as entered.

Accessibility

The whole generator works from the keyboard: tabs respond to the arrow keys, menus close with Escape, and every control has a visible focus ring and a label. There is a dark theme, text can be zoomed to 200% without losing anything, and the preview describes itself to screen readers. If something does not work with your assistive technology, please tell us.

What we build on

• qrcode-generator (MIT licence) creates the QR pattern.
• jsQR (Apache 2.0 licence) powers the scanner.
• Instrument Sans, Space Grotesk and JetBrains Mono (SIL Open Font Licence) are the typefaces, hosted on our own server rather than loaded from a font service.

There is no framework, no build step in the browser and no third-party script on the page apart from analytics, which only loads if you allow it in the cookie notice.

What might come later

Ideas we are considering, none of which exist yet: creating many codes at once from a list, PDF export, and saved brand presets. If any of these arrive, they will follow the same rules: made in your browser, no account needed.

Get in touch

Found a bug or have an idea? Contact us. If you are new to QR codes, the guides are a good place to start.