← All guides

How to create a free QR code — no sign-up, no watermark

You need a QR code for a link, a menu, a flyer or a business card — and most "free" generators hide the download behind a paywall, stamp a watermark on it, or quietly expire your code after 14 days. Here is how to make a genuinely free QR code that never expires.

The 10-second method

• Go to l-k.us and paste your link.
• Press "Shorten", then "QR code".
• Download your QR as PNG (for documents and social posts) or SVG (for print at any size).
• That's it. No account, no watermark, and the code never expires.

PNG or SVG — which file should you download?

PNG is a pixel image: perfect for screens, presentations and web pages. Link Us exports a high-resolution 1024×1024 PNG that stays sharp in most documents.

SVG is a vector: it scales to any size with zero quality loss, which is what a print shop wants for posters, vehicle wraps or shop windows. If in doubt for print, send the SVG.

Beware of "free" QR generators that expire

A common trick: the generator gives you a QR code that routes through their domain on a trial plan. Two weeks later the trial ends — and every flyer you printed now leads to a paywall page. Always check whether the code you generated is static (encodes your destination directly, works forever) or routes through a service and under which conditions.

On Link Us, anonymous QR codes are truly static: they encode your destination URL directly, so they keep working independently of any service, forever.

Tips for QR codes that actually scan

• Contrast: dark modules on a light background — never light-on-dark for print.
• Size: at least 2×2 cm on a flyer; bigger if scanned from a distance (rule of thumb: scanning distance ÷ 10).
• Quiet zone: leave white space around the code; do not crowd it with graphics.
• Short URLs make simpler codes: a QR of l-k.us/abc123 has far fewer modules than one of a 300-character URL, so it scans faster and prints smaller.
• Always test-scan the final printed proof with a couple of different phones before mass printing.

When you need the QR to be editable

If the destination might ever change — a menu, an event page, a seasonal promo — you want a dynamic QR code: it points to a short link whose destination you can update at any time, without reprinting anything. On Link Us dynamic QR codes are free with an account: read the dedicated guide on dynamic QR codes to see how they work.

Related guides