📱 QRGen

QR Code Technology

QR (Quick Response) codes were invented in 1994 by Denso Wave, a Toyota subsidiary, to track automotive parts. They can store up to 7,089 numeric characters or 4,296 alphanumeric characters — vastly more than traditional barcodes. The three corner squares are position detection patterns; the smaller squares enable alignment correction for reading at angles.

QR codes use Reed-Solomon error correction, allowing up to 30% of the code to be damaged while remaining scannable. There are 4 error correction levels: L (7%), M (15%), Q (25%), and H (30%). Higher correction means a denser code — choose M for most uses.

• QR codes saw a 94% increase in usage from 2020-2025, driven by contactless payments and digital menus
• WiFi QR codes eliminate the "what's the password?" question — just scan and connect
• Always test your QR code at the size it will be printed — codes under 2cm may not scan reliably