How to create a QR and test it before printing

Decide where it should lead

A QR represents an address. Before designing a poster, decide whether it points directly to your site or to a short link you manage. If you use a short link, its status and expiration still matter: the drawing does not keep a paused or expired link active.

We use a fictional address to illustrate the process. Replace the domain with your real page and check that it is available without relying on your administrator session.

Generate and review the QR

Open WikiURL's QR generator and paste a complete HTTP or HTTPS address. Press Generate. Check that Your link matches the destination you intended to represent.

The screen offers a preview and PNG and SVG options. Tests verified that the generated PNG could be decoded and returned exactly the input URL, including its parameters and fragment.

https://example.invalid/menu?ref=cartel#bebidas

Choose PNG or SVG for your design

PNG is a fixed-size image: inspect it at its final scale before placing it in a document. SVG retains a vector representation and can be useful when your design software supports it.

Do not crop the clear space around the symbol. DENSO WAVE specifies four modules of margin on every side; this is part of the area needed for reading. Do not fill it with text or logos.

Test the physical result

Prepare a sample at the intended size and scan it with a phone. Check the address that will open before proceeding. Read the destination page and confirm it loads the expected content.

Test under intended conditions: distance, lighting, and surface. A large screenshot on your display does not establish that a small print or a glossy surface will scan well. Adjust the design and repeat if it fails.

Keep the destination alongside the file

Keep a copy of the PNG or SVG and the exact address used. Later you can distinguish a symbol-reading problem from a link problem.

Before a large print run, check the destination again. If you change it through a short link, test the already printed QR after the change. Do not assume a QR confirms the safety of the website it opens.

A reproducible test: one URL, two files

Load https://example.org/menu as an example and generate the QR. This is an illustrative address, not a real menu. Download and retain PNG and SVG. The QR should contain that address; do not confuse the code image with a screenshot of the destination page.

Choose SVG when the design or printer accepts vectors and scaling is needed. Use PNG where only raster images are supported. Preserve proportions and the white margin in both cases. Changing format neither makes the QR an editable link nor adds scan statistics.

URL codificada: https://example.org/menu
SVG: símbolo vectorial
PNG: imagen rasterizada
Resultado al leerlo: la misma URL

The white margin is part of the code

DENSO WAVE specifies four modules of clear margin on every side. A module is one cell of the symbol, not four arbitrary file pixels. WikiURL's generator includes that margin; do not crop it when placing the file on a poster. Nearby borders, text, or artwork can intrude into it.

There is no single physical size that guarantees reading for every destination. A longer URL may produce more modules. Test the file at actual size using the intended material, lighting, and distance. Successful reading on an enlarged screen does not automatically validate the print.

Separate reading failures from destination failures

If the camera recognizes no address, inspect size, contrast, proportions, and margin. If it recognizes the address but opening fails, check the URL separately. If another page opens, compare the saved encoded value with the final address after redirects.

To update a menu without replacing the poster, decide before printing between your own stable URL and a manageable short link. In the latter case, the code still depends on short-link status and expiration. Keep its private management access separately; never include it in the public QR.

No se reconoce URL → revisar imagen y condiciones de lectura
Se reconoce URL, pero no abre → comprobar destino
Abre otra página → comparar URL codificada y URL final