How much text fits in one QR code?

Up to 2,953 bytes at error correction L, 2,331 at M, 1,663 at Q and 1,273 at H. A plain English letter, digit or space is one byte; an accented letter such as ü takes two, and most Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters take three, so a code holds fewer of them. Text over the limit is refused with its byte count, never cut short. Shorter text makes a less dense code that is easier to scan.

Can I print text under the QR code as well?

Yes. Turn Label under code on and the Label field is printed in a strip below the code, in the code colour, and also names the file. The label is for people reading the print: it is not inside the code, so a scanner does not see it.

Should a web address go in as text?

No, choose Link instead. A phone camera opens a link only when the code holds it with its scheme, and Link adds https:// in front of a bare domain such as cafe.example/menu. Under Text the same words are kept exactly as typed.

Can I make a code for every line of a list?

Yes. Switch to Many from a list, keep Text selected, and give each row a label and its text; every row becomes its own code, read back on its own, and Download ZIP saves the ones that passed.

Text to QR Code Generator

This page opens on One code with Text. Type or paste the words, in any language and with line breaks, and the code holds them exactly as typed. A scanner shows the text; plain text is not a link, so no page opens by itself.

Make

Type

detailsText

Text

Label, for the file name and the text under the code

code512 x 512 px

reading back

Grüße aus Köln

Code

25 x 25, version 2

Read back

reading back

Quiet zone

4 modules

Expiry

None, direct

Reading the code back.

Error correction

Image size

Quiet zone

Label under code

off

Logo

Choose logo

Logo width

Code colour

Any colour: #000000

A logo is optional. It covers modules in the middle of the code, so each code is read back with the logo in place before it can be saved. The background stays white, and a code colour needs a contrast of at least 4.5 to 1 against it.

Worked examples

Unicode payloadGrüße aus Köln
decoded by an independent reader, identical
500 CSV rowssome labels repeat
500 uniquely named files, a repeat gets -2, -3 in row order
Centre logo addederror correction H
kept only if it reads back, otherwise marked failed

Accuracy. Each code holds your text or link itself, with no redirect in between, so it never expires and no scan is counted. Every code is read back by a separate decoder before it can be downloaded, with a quiet zone of at least 4 modules; a logo covers modules and lowers readability, so a code that fails the read back is marked failed, and one that passes here can still fail on some cameras. Payment codes (UPI, bank transfer, crypto and merchant payment formats) are refused.

Common questions

How much text fits in one QR code?: Up to 2,953 bytes at error correction L, 2,331 at M, 1,663 at Q and 1,273 at H. A plain English letter, digit or space is one byte; an accented letter such as ü takes two, and most Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters take three, so a code holds fewer of them. Text over the limit is refused with its byte count, never cut short. Shorter text makes a less dense code that is easier to scan.
Can I print text under the QR code as well?: Yes. Turn Label under code on and the Label field is printed in a strip below the code, in the code colour, and also names the file. The label is for people reading the print: it is not inside the code, so a scanner does not see it.
Should a web address go in as text?: No, choose Link instead. A phone camera opens a link only when the code holds it with its scheme, and Link adds https:// in front of a bare domain such as cafe.example/menu. Under Text the same words are kept exactly as typed.
Can I make a code for every line of a list?: Yes. Switch to Many from a list, keep Text selected, and give each row a label and its text; every row becomes its own code, read back on its own, and Download ZIP saves the ones that passed.

Each code holds your text or link itself, with no redirect in between, so it never expires and no scan is counted. Every code is read back by a separate decoder before it can be downloaded, with a quiet zone of at least 4 modules; a logo covers modules and lowers readability, so a code that fails the read back is marked failed, and one that passes here can still fail on some cameras. Payment codes (UPI, bank transfer, crypto and merchant payment formats) are refused.