How to make a link QR code
- Paste your web address. The generator is already on the Website tab — paste the full URL, or just
example.comand HTTPS is added for you. - Shorten it if it is long. A compact address produces a simpler pattern that scans more easily from further away. See below for when this matters.
- Style it. Pick a preset or set your own colours. Keep the code distinctly darker than the background — QRilo warns you if the contrast drops too low.
- Add a logo if you want one. The error correction automatically rises to level H, and the logo size is capped to the recoverable budget.
- Check the scan-health report, then download. PNG for screens and social posts, SVG for a printer, PDF for a home or office printer.
Static versus dynamic link codes — an honest comparison
You will see “dynamic QR code” marketed heavily. It is worth understanding exactly what you are buying, because the trade-off is real in both directions.
| Static (what QRilo makes) | Dynamic | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the destination lives | Inside the pattern, on the printed code | On the provider's server, behind a short link |
| Can you change it after printing? | No | Yes |
| Does it need a subscription? | No | Usually, monthly |
| What happens if the provider closes? | Nothing — your code keeps working | Every printed code becomes dead |
| Scan analytics | None (the visitor goes straight to you) | Yes, provider-side |
| Extra hop for the visitor | None | One redirect, which also breaks some previews |
Dynamic codes are the right choice for a campaign whose landing page will change, or where you specifically need scan counts. They are the wrong choice for anything printed once and used for years: a restaurant's permanent menu code, a business card, a product label, a shop window. In those cases you are paying a subscription forever to rent a dependency you do not need.
Keeping a link code scannable
Link codes carry more data than Wi-Fi codes, because a URL is longer than a network name. That makes them denser and slightly less forgiving. Four things matter:
- Shorter URL, simpler pattern. Strip tracking parameters, use a short path, and consider a link shortener for print work. Every character you remove reduces the grid size.
- Contrast over creativity. Dark code on a light background is the reliable arrangement. Very light pastels on white will look elegant and fail in sunlight.
- Respect the margin. QRilo includes the four-module quiet zone, but designers often crop it out when placing the code. Check the final artwork.
- Print bigger than you think. One tenth of the scanning distance is the floor, not the target. For a poster read from 3 m, that means 30 cm and up.
Where link codes work best
- Print advertising — a magazine ad, flyer or poster that needs to become actionable.
- Packaging — instructions, a warranty registration page, a recipe, a sustainability page.
- Menus — especially at a venue with several outlets, where each needs its own link.
- Signage and window decals — opening hours, booking pages, review links.
- Presentations — one slide at the end instead of reading a URL aloud.
- Email and PDF — a clickable code in a document that may be printed.
Frequently asked
Will my code expire?
No. Your destination is encoded into the pattern itself, so there is no redirect service that can be switched off and no subscription that can lapse. The code works as long as the page it points to exists.
Should I shorten my link first?
For print, usually yes. A shorter address makes a smaller, sparser pattern that scans more easily from further away and at smaller sizes. For a web page or an email, the difference is not worth the extra step.
Can I use these codes commercially?
Yes, including in paid advertising and on products you sell. There is no attribution requirement and no licence fee. See the terms of use.
Can I track scans?
Not with this tool, by design. Counting scans requires routing every visitor through a server we control, which is exactly the dependency that makes codes expire. If you need analytics, use your website's own analytics — the visitor arrives on your page normally, so your existing tools can count them without anyone in the middle.
What is the best file format for print?
SVG. It is true vector art, so your printer can scale it to any size without softening the module edges. Use the PDF export if you just want to print it yourself on A4, and PNG for anything on screen.
Advertising is on this website only — never in your link code. Your destination is encoded directly into the pattern, so a scan goes straight to your page: no advert interstitial, no sponsored detour, no tracker. That is exactly what "static" means here. How that works, and how to verify it.