WiFi QR Code Generator

How a WiFi QR code joins a network

A WiFi QR code does not contain a link — it contains a small, structured string that phones recognise as network credentials. When the camera decodes it, the operating system reads the network name, security type, and password, and offers a one-tap "Join" prompt. No typing, no spelling out a long password to a guest, no app to install.

The WIFI: string format

The payload follows a compact, field-tagged convention. A typical WPA network encodes as:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyHomeWiFi;P:my-password;;

Each field is a letter, a colon, the value, and a semicolon. T is the security type (WPA, WEP, or nopass), S is the SSID (network name), and P is the password. A hidden network adds H:true;. The string ends with a final extra semicolon, which is why you see two together at the end.

Escaping special characters

Because semicolons and colons separate the fields, any of those characters inside your SSID or password would break the parsing. The format solves this with backslash escaping: the characters \ ; , : " must each be prefixed with a backslash. This tool applies that escaping automatically, so a password such as P@ss;word is encoded as P@ss\;word and decodes back correctly on the phone.

Open and hidden networks

For a password-free hotspot, the security type is nopass and the password field is left empty. For a hidden network — one whose router does not advertise its SSID — the H:true flag tells the phone to actively probe for that exact name, since it will never appear in a normal scan of nearby networks.

A note on security

The password lives inside the code in plain form, so treat a printed WiFi QR code like a written-down password: anyone who can scan it can read the credentials with a decoder. For a home or café guest network that is usually exactly what you want. If you would rather not expose your primary password, set up a separate guest SSID on your router and make the QR code for that instead.

Related tools for guests and venues

A WiFi code is often part of a wider welcome kit. Pair it with a way to recover a password from a code you already printed, or with codes that hand out contact and booking details in the same lobby or café.

• • QR code decoder — lost the password? Scan the existing sticker to read the WIFI: string back out.
• • vCard QR code generator — put your reception or host contact on the same table tent as the WiFi code.
• • QR code generator — for a plain link to a house manual or guest portal instead of credentials.