Why a code beats reading out the password
Anyone who has spelled a 16-character password to a guest knows the problem: capital I or lower-case l, zero or the letter O, and a second attempt a minute later. A WiFi code removes the typing. The guest points the camera, taps "Join", and is connected.
The code is made in your browser. Your password is not sent to this site. The one caution is that the password sits inside the picture, so anyone who scans it can read it. That is fine for a guest network and a poor idea for a main office network.
Good places to put one: inside a cupboard door at home, on table tents in a cafe, in each room of a homestay, at a clinic reception, or on a slide at the start of a class. Guests join before they ask, and staff stop answering the same question all day.
Making the code, step by step
- Type the network name exactly as phones show it. Capitals and spaces matter.
- Type the password. Use the show button to check it for slips.
- Choose the security type. WPA covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3 personal, which is what nearly every home router uses. WEP is for very old routers. "No password" is for open networks.
- Tick the hidden network box only if the router does not broadcast its name.
- Change colours, dot style or add a logo in the Design panel if you want.
- Download PNG, SVG or JPG, or download the "Scan to join WiFi" card. The card shows the network name, and you can choose whether the password is printed too.
Test it before printing. Turn off WiFi on a phone, scan the code, and see whether it offers to join your network.
What the phone reads
The code holds a short line of text in a format phones know:
WIFI:T:WPA;S:HomeNetwork;P:MyPass2024;H:true;;
T is the security type, S the network name, P the password, and H:true appears only for hidden networks. Characters that have a meaning in this format, such as semicolons, commas, colons, quotes and backslashes, are escaped automatically, so a password like a;b:c still works. The readout under the code shows the final text, which is the quickest way to spot a typo.
Which phones can scan it
| Device | What happens |
|---|---|
| iPhone or iPad, iOS 11 or later | Camera app shows a "Join network" banner. |
| Android 10 or later | Built-in camera or Google Lens offers to connect. |
| Older Android | Try Google Lens or a scanner app that understands WiFi codes. |
| Laptop | Most laptops cannot join from a code. Read it with the QR code scanner to see the name and password, then type them in. |
Finding the details you need to enter
On Android 10 and later, open WiFi settings, tap the gear next to your network and choose Share. After you confirm with your PIN or fingerprint, the phone shows its own code and usually the password. That works for one guest, but you cannot stick a phone screen on a wall.
On an iPhone with iOS 16 or later, go to Settings, Wi-Fi, tap the (i) next to your network, then tap Password. On Windows and Mac the saved password is under the network's properties or in the Keychain. Many routers also print the original name and password on a sticker underneath.
If you run a shop, keep a separate guest network with its own password and make the code for that one. You can change the guest password every few months without disturbing your own devices, and a leaked sign costs you nothing important.
Special cases
Hidden networks
Tick the hidden box so the phone searches for a network that does not announce itself. These can connect more slowly, so try the code on an iPhone and an Android phone.
Open networks
Choose "No password". The code then stores only the name and the open setting.
Enterprise networks
Networks that ask each person for a username and password do not work with this page. It makes codes for password-only networks. For a company network, ask your IT team how to onboard devices.
Printing and when it fails
A phone hotspot works too. Enter the hotspot name and password the same way, and friends can join your phone in one scan while you are travelling.
Print the code at least 3 cm wide on a card and 6 to 10 cm on a table stand or wall sign. Keep a plain, clear border, and use a dark code on a light background. SVG suits a print shop, PNG suits WhatsApp. A logo is fine; error correction switches to High, which recovers about 30% of the code.
- Wrong password or name is the usual cause. Compare the readout with your router.
- If the router uses WPA2 and you picked WEP, phones will fail to join.
- A weak signal can make a good scan fail to connect.
- MAC filtering on the router blocks phones that are not on the allowed list.
- If you change the password, make a new code and replace the old sign, because the old one still holds the old password.
A cafe can put the card beside a UPI payment code and a review code, or use the general QR generator for a menu link.
Frequently asked questions
Is my WiFi password uploaded anywhere?
No. The code is built in your browser and what you type is not sent to this site.
Does the code change if I change my password?
No. It stores the password you entered, so after a change you need to make and print a new one.
Do I need an app to scan it?
Not on a recent phone. The iPhone camera (iOS 11 or later) and Android 10 or later read it directly.
Can I make a code for a network with no password?
Yes. Choose "No password" and phones will join the open network when they scan.
Does it work with WPA3?
Yes. Pick the WPA option, which covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3 personal networks.
Can I use it for a company WiFi with usernames?
No. It supports password-only networks, not enterprise networks that need a username per person.
Updated 2026-10-14