How to create a Wi-Fi QR code for customers
Learn how to create, print, and test a QR code that lets customers join your guest Wi-Fi without typing the password.
UpdatedFrequently asked questions
Start with the questions people ask before making a code.
What is a Wi-Fi QR code?
A Wi-Fi QR code stores the network name, security type, and password so a compatible phone can offer to join that network after a scan. It is different from a QR code that opens a webpage: the encoded content is Wi-Fi configuration data, not a website address. The customer still sees a confirmation prompt and chooses whether to connect.
Should I use my main Wi-Fi network or a guest network?
Use a separate guest network for customers whenever your router supports one. A guest network can keep customer devices away from business computers, printers, payment equipment, shared files, and router settings. Remember that anyone who can scan or photograph the sign may be able to recover the guest password, so place the code where customers use it and change the password if the sign is lost or shared outside the business.
Is a Wi-Fi QR code static or dynamic?
A direct Wi-Fi QR code is static because the network credentials are encoded inside the image. If you change the network name, password, or security type, the old code cannot be updated; create and print a new one. A dynamic QR code can redirect to an editable webpage with Wi-Fi instructions, but scanning that web link is not the same as receiving the phone's built-in prompt to join a network.
Will a Wi-Fi QR code work on iPhone and Android?
Modern iPhones and Android phones commonly recognize Wi-Fi QR codes, but menus and prompts vary by device and software version. Android can also create a shareable code for a saved network from its Wi-Fi settings on supported devices. Test the finished code with at least one iPhone and one Android phone before printing many copies, and keep the network name and password in small readable text nearby for customers with older devices.
Can I track how many customers scan the Wi-Fi code?
A direct Wi-Fi QR code does not report scan counts because it contains the credentials and does not send the phone through a managed web redirect. Your router may show connected devices or usage, but that is connection data rather than QR scan analytics. A scan also does not prove that the person joined successfully, visited a page, placed an order, booked, or made a purchase.
What should I do when the Wi-Fi password changes?
Generate a new code using the exact new password, test it while the test phone is disconnected from the network, and replace every printed copy of the old code. Remove old counter cards, window signs, menus, and staff copies so customers do not keep scanning expired credentials. Add the replacement date to your internal checklist if your business rotates the guest password regularly.
How to set it up
Follow these steps, then scan the finished code yourself.
Create a separate guest network
Open your router or internet provider's settings and enable a guest network that cannot reach business devices or shared files. Give it a recognizable name such as Pine Street Cafe Guest, protect it with the strongest compatible security your router offers, and confirm a phone can join it and reach the internet.
Copy the exact network details
Record the guest network name, password, security type, and whether the network is hidden. Capitalization and spaces matter. Do not use the router administrator password or the credentials for the private network that holds registers, office computers, cameras, or printers.
Generate a direct Wi-Fi QR code
On a supported Android phone, open Settings, choose Network & internet, select the connected guest network, and use Share to display its QR code. You can also use a generator that specifically offers a Wi-Fi code type; enter the same network name, security type, and password, then download the image. Do not choose a normal website URL code for this job.
Label and place the printed code
Add a plain instruction such as 'Scan to join guest Wi-Fi' and include the network name so customers know what they are joining. Print with strong dark-on-light contrast, leave clear space around the square, and place it where a customer can hold a phone steady without glare, crowding, or blocking a walkway.
Test every copy and replace stale codes
Forget the guest network on an iPhone and an Android phone, scan the final printed code, accept the join prompt, and load a webpage. Repeat the test from each placement because print size, glare, damage, and distance affect scanning. Whenever the guest network name, password, or security changes, create a new code and remove every old copy.
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