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How to create a QR code on iPhone

Create a QR code on iPhone for a link, Wi-Fi network, contact card, or text — free with the built-in Shortcuts app, or with QR Scanner when you need saved, reusable codes.

Last updated July 1, 2026

Direct answer

You do not need to pay for a QR code maker. The built-in Shortcuts app has a free “Generate QR Code” action that turns any link or text into a code you can save or share. Use a dedicated scanner with generation when you want to keep and reuse the codes you make.

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The free, built-in way: Shortcuts

Most people who search for “QR code maker” end up on an app that charges a weekly fee for something iOS already does. Apple’s Shortcuts app — installed on every iPhone — includes a Generate QR Code action. Point it at a link, a block of text, or a variable, and it produces a QR code you can save to Photos or share straight into a message.

To build it: open Shortcuts, create a new shortcut, add the Generate QR Code action, and follow it with Save to Photo Album or Share. Set the input to “Ask Each Time” and you have a reusable QR maker you run from the Share Sheet or your Home Screen. See Apple’s Shortcuts guide for the basics of building and running shortcuts.

Common QR codes and what to encode

A QR code is just encoded text. Change the text and you change what the code does:

When a dedicated generator is worth it

Shortcuts is perfect for the occasional code. A dedicated generator earns its place when you make codes regularly and want to save, label, and reopen them — a Wi-Fi code for guests, a code for your menu or booking link, a contact card for events — without rebuilding a shortcut each time. QR Scanner generates QR codes and keeps a searchable history of both the codes you scan and the ones you create, so you can reuse a code months later.

Download on the App Store

Static vs. dynamic codes (and why weekly apps push dynamic)

A code you generate on-device is static: the link is baked into the pixels, it works offline to decode, and it never expires on its own. Many subscription “QR maker” apps push dynamic codes that route through the vendor’s server so they can charge monthly or weekly and switch the destination later. That flexibility is real, but for a Wi-Fi code, a business card, or a link to your site, a static code you own outright is simpler, private, and free.

Always test before you print

Before you put a QR code on a flyer, sign, or product, scan it yourself with the iPhone Camera and confirm it opens the right thing. Print a test at the real size — codes shrunk too small, printed at low contrast, or placed on a curved surface can fail to scan. If you handed the code to other people, a generator that keeps a history lets you confirm exactly what you shared.

FAQ

Can I make a QR code on iPhone without an app? +

Yes. The built-in Shortcuts app has a "Generate QR Code" action that turns any text or link into a QR code you can save to Photos or share — no download and no subscription. A dedicated scanner app helps when you want to keep, rename, and reuse the codes you create.

How do I create a QR code for my Wi-Fi network? +

Encode the network as text in the format WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:YourPassword;; and pass that string to the Shortcuts "Generate QR Code" action, or use a QR generator with a Wi-Fi preset. Anyone who scans it joins without typing the password.

Do QR codes expire? +

A code you generate yourself is static — it encodes the link or text directly and never expires. It only stops working if the destination it points to goes away. Dynamic QR codes that redirect through a third-party service can expire or require a subscription; a code you make on-device does not.

Why do some QR code maker apps charge a weekly subscription? +

Generating a QR code is a one-line operation with no ongoing server cost, yet many "QR maker" apps bill $4.99+ per week for it. Swarmval QR Scanner includes generation at fair pricing: a free tier, $4.99/month with a 3-day trial, $14.99/year, or $19.99 once for lifetime — never weekly.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Open the Shortcuts app

    Shortcuts is built into iOS. Open it, tap the plus button to start a new shortcut, then tap Add Action.

  2. Step 2

    Add the Generate QR Code action

    Search for "Generate QR Code" and add it. Feed it the text or link you want to encode — you can type it directly or use "Ask Each Time" so the shortcut prompts you every run.

  3. Step 3

    Add a way to save or share the code

    Add a "Save to Photo Album" or "Share" action after it so the finished QR code lands somewhere you can use it. Run the shortcut once to test.

  4. Step 4

    Use QR Scanner for reusable codes

    If you generate codes often — for Wi-Fi, a contact card, a menu link — a dedicated generator lets you save, label, and reopen them without rebuilding a shortcut each time.

  5. Step 5

    Test the code before you print or send it

    Scan your own QR code with the iPhone Camera and confirm it opens the right destination. Check it at the size you will actually use, since very small printed codes can fail to scan.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a QR code on iPhone without an app?

Yes. The built-in Shortcuts app has a 'Generate QR Code' action that turns any text or link into a QR code you can save to Photos or share — no download and no subscription. A dedicated scanner app helps when you want to keep, rename, and reuse the codes you create, or generate Wi-Fi and contact codes without building a shortcut.

How do I create a QR code for my Wi-Fi network?

Encode the network as text in the format WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:YourPassword;; and pass that string to the Shortcuts 'Generate QR Code' action, or use a QR generator with a Wi-Fi preset. Anyone who scans it joins without typing the password. Only share it with people you would give the password to anyway.

Do QR codes expire?

A QR code you generate yourself is static — it encodes the link or text directly and never expires. It only 'stops working' if the destination it points to (a URL, for example) goes away. Dynamic QR codes that redirect through a third-party service can expire or require a subscription; a code you make on-device does not.

Why do some QR code maker apps charge a weekly subscription?

Generating a QR code is a one-line operation with no ongoing server cost, yet many App Store 'QR maker' apps bill $4.99 or more per week for it. The weekly billing is the trap. Swarmval QR Scanner includes QR generation at fair pricing: a free tier, $4.99/month with a 3-day trial, $14.99/year, or $19.99 once for lifetime — never weekly.