How to Make a Wi-Fi QR Code and Print a Guest Card

A Wi-Fi QR code lets a visitor join a network without typing the password. It contains the network name and connection details; a compatible phone reads them and offers to connect. You can keep your current Wi-Fi password. You do not need to reset your router to make a card.

This guide uses the free Wi-Fi QR code generator to prepare a card for a home, a reception desk or a holiday rental. Start with the details of a network you manage.

1. Choose the network you want to share

Open your router or internet provider's app and note the exact network name, also called the SSID. Check its password and security setting. The password needed here is the one used to join Wi-Fi, rather than the router's administration password.

For regular visitors, consider setting up a separate guest network with its own password. Check the router's isolation settings before relying on it to separate guests from your computers or storage. For example, TP-Link documents separate options for access to the local network and between guests. The controls available depend on the model and operating mode.

• Already working network: use its current name and password.
• New guest network: save the settings on the router and connect a device manually before making the card.
• Workplace network with individual logins: ask the administrator for the approved guest access method. This tool's shared-password QR code does not configure enterprise authentication or a captive portal.

2. Make the QR code with your existing password

1. Open the Wi-Fi QR generator and enter the network name exactly, including capitals and spaces.
2. Select the security option matching your network. Use the WPA2/WPA3 option for a compatible personal network protected by a shared password.
3. Choose My own and enter the current Wi-Fi password. Turn on the hidden-network option only if the router actually hides that network.
4. Check the name shown below the QR code. The image and download buttons become available when the required details are valid.

Example: if the router shows Studio-Guest, enter Studio-Guest in the SSID field and your real guest password in My own. The name is fictional; choose the name actually configured on your router. Avoid adding an extra space when copying either field.

If you prefer a new random password, generate one with the tool, then configure that same password on the router. Creating a QR code does not change any router setting.

3. Download an image or print a guest card

Choose PNG for an image you can insert into a welcome document. Choose SVG if your design application supports vector images and you need to resize the code. Keep the full square and its surrounding blank margin; avoid stretching, cropping or placing text over it.

Use Print a guest card for the ready-made layout. Check the preview, paper size and margins before printing. You can also choose a PDF destination in the print dialog if your device offers one. Test the final print or PDF, since resizing in another application can affect readability.

The card includes connection details, so place it where intended guests can see it: inside the rental welcome folder or at reception, for example. A public photo of the card also shares the credentials.

4. Test with a phone before handing it out

On an iPhone or iPad, open Camera or Code Scanner, frame the QR code and tap the prompt. Apple explains how to scan QR codes. On Android, use the camera or the QR scanner in Wi-Fi settings if available; the exact route varies by device. Google also documents sharing Wi-Fi through a QR code in Android settings.

1. Use a phone that is not already connected to the target network, so an existing connection does not hide a mistake.
2. Scan the final image or printed card and accept the join prompt.
3. Check the connected network name in Wi-Fi settings, then open a web page to check internet access.

If the QR code scans but Wi-Fi will not connect

• Wrong password: try joining manually with the same details. Check for a recent password change or an accidental space.
• Wrong network: compare the SSID with the router's settings, including capitals. Check the hidden-network option.
• No scan prompt: improve lighting, enlarge the code and restore its blank margin. Try the phone's Wi-Fi QR scanner where available.
• Connected without internet: check the router, guest access schedule or sign-in portal. A QR code cannot restore an internet connection.

Keep the card current

A Wi-Fi QR code is a convenient way to share credentials; it does not make them secret or give each visitor an individual expiry date. Anyone with a copy may be able to use it while those credentials remain valid. If you change the network name or password, generate a new card and replace old printed and digital copies.

For the rest of your accounts, use a different random password for each service. If you manage a team, our small-business password policy guide covers the document and rollout checklist.