Free Tool

Text QR Code Generator

Type a message, a code or a note and turn it into a QR code that shows the text when scanned. Free, private, and ready to download as a PNG or SVG.

Private by design: the code is built in your browser. What you type is never uploaded or stored.

About this QR code

A QR code that shows text

A text QR code holds plain words and nothing else. When someone scans it, their phone usually shows the text on screen and offers to copy or search it. There is no web page involved, so it works without any server behind it.

That makes it useful for information that should travel with an object: a serial number on a machine, a short instruction on a label, a hidden message in a gift, or a clue in a treasure hunt. Line breaks are kept, and accented letters, other alphabets and emoji all work.

If your text is really a web address, a URL QR code is the better choice because phones then offer to open it.

Where it is used

Good uses for plain text codes

Asset and inventory labels. Store a serial number, a part number or a short description on equipment, shelves and storage boxes.

Promo and coupon codes. Print a discount code that can be scanned and copied instead of retyped.

Short instructions. Care instructions on a plant pot, a recipe step on a jar, or setup notes on a device.

Games and puzzles. Scavenger hunt clues and escape-room hints that reveal a line of text only when found.

Museum and gallery labels. A short blurb or credit line that visitors can read at their own pace.

Keepsakes and notes. A private message on a wedding favour or a card that only the scanner sees.

Sending a message by email. To hand over a pre-written message, an email QR code opens a draft instead.

How to use it

Three simple steps

1. Type your text

Write or paste it into the box. Line breaks are kept exactly as you type them.

2. Watch the size

Short text makes a simple code. The tool warns you when the amount of text starts to make scanning harder.

3. Download and test

Save a PNG or SVG, then scan it on a phone to confirm the text appears the way you wrote it.

The details

How much text fits

A QR code can technically hold close to 3,000 characters of ordinary text at the lowest error correction level, and less at higher levels. In practice you should stay far below that. A long message creates a dense pattern of tiny squares that needs a large print size and a steady hand to scan. This tool starts warning you once the text passes about 800 bytes.

Special characters take more room than plain English letters. An accented letter uses two bytes and most emoji use four, so a message full of them fills the code faster than the character count suggests.

One more thing to know: phones may act on text that looks like something else. If your text is only a web address, an email address or a phone number, the scanner might offer to open, write or call it. That is helpful when you meant it, so use the matching QR type when you did.

The font caption

Label the code in your own font

Text codes often end up on labels, so a caption can say what the code holds, for example “Serial number” or “Hidden message”. Search the box for a font from the font library and the caption is added under the code in your PNG. The SVG download holds the code only.

Caption font ideas

Pick a caption font

Text codes often label equipment or files, where a monospaced face feels at home. Three to try:

Guides worth reading

Type guides to go with your code

For labels, numbers and technical copy, these guides go further:

Questions

text QR code FAQ

How many characters can I put in a text QR code?

Close to 3,000 at the lowest error correction level, but much less is far easier to scan. Aim for a few hundred characters at most.

Will the text show up on every phone?

Most modern camera and scanner apps display plain text. The wording shown on screen and the actions offered, such as copy or search, depend on the app.

Can I include line breaks and emoji?

Yes. Line breaks are kept, and Unicode characters including accents, other alphabets and emoji are encoded correctly.

Is my text uploaded anywhere?

No. The code is made in your browser and the text never leaves your device.

Can the text be edited later?

No. A static code holds its text for good. To change the message, make a new code.

More QR code types

Make a different kind of code

Every kind of code is free, private and made in your browser.

Explore ProFont

Find the right font for anything

Search more than 2,000 fonts, see them in use and read the type guides.