QR code types
A QR code is just text. What a phone does with that text depends on how it is written. Each page shows the raw format, field by field, and a real code you can scan.
Which type to use
Most QR codes do one of six jobs. Pick the job first, then the type.
- Share a link. A URL code works for any web page. Use PDF, restaurant menu, App Store, Spotify or Google review when the link must land somewhere specific, such as the write-a-review box instead of your business profile.
- Contact details. vCard saves a full contact card and is the safe default. MeCard is smaller, but iPhone drops some fields. Phone call and email codes skip the card and start a call or a pre-filled message.
- Payments. PayPal opens a payment and can preset the amount. Bitcoin needs a wallet app to scan it. The payer confirms either one.
- Wi-Fi and events. A Wi-Fi code joins the network without typing the password. Calendar event, map location and Zoom meeting codes put a date, a place or a call on the phone.
- Social and messaging. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn and YouTube codes open a profile or video, in the app when it is installed. WhatsApp and SMS codes open a chat with your message typed but not sent.
- Other. Plain text shows words on screen and needs no connection.
The Wi-Fi, vCard, MeCard, SMS, email, phone, location and calendar pages each include a free generator that runs in your browser.
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App Store link
Payload is the listing URL: https://apps.apple.com/app/id123456789. iPhone opens the App Store app straight to the page.
https://apps.apple.com/app/id123456789
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Bitcoin payment request
Payload is a bitcoin: URI: the address, then ?amount= in BTC and &label= for a name. This follows the BIP 21 standard.
bitcoin:bc1qexampleexampleexampleexampleexamplee…
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Calendar event
Payload is a BEGIN:VEVENT block with SUMMARY, DTSTART, DTEND and LOCATION lines. Dates are written as 20261107T190000.
BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Open day DTSTART:20261107T1…
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Email
Payload is a mailto link: mailto:hello@example.com?subject=Hello&body=Hi. Subject and body are optional.
mailto:hello@example.com?subject=Hello&body=Hi
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Facebook page
Payload is the page URL: https://www.facebook.com/pagename. Use the page's username, or its numeric ID if it has none.
https://www.facebook.com/pagename
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Google review link
Payload is Google's short review link: https://g.page/r/PLACEID/review. It opens the rating box for your Business Profile directly.
https://g.page/r/PLACEID/review
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Instagram profile
Payload is the profile URL: https://instagram.com/username. No prefix, no app scheme.
https://instagram.com/username
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LinkedIn profile
Payload is the profile URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/username. Company pages use /company/name.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/username
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Map location
Payload is geo:51.5007,-0.1246. Latitude, then longitude, in decimal degrees.
geo:51.5007,-0.1246
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MeCard contact
Payload is one line: MECARD:N:Lovelace,Ada;TEL:+15550100;EMAIL:ada@example.com;;. Fields are separated by semicolons and the record ends with two.
MECARD:N:Lovelace,Ada;TEL:+15550100;EMAIL:ada@ex…
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PayPal payment
Payload is a PayPal.Me link: https://paypal.me/username/25. The number after the username presets the amount.
https://paypal.me/username/25
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PDF document
Payload is an ordinary link to a PDF you host, for example https://example.com/files/brochure.pdf. The document is not inside the code.
https://example.com/files/brochure.pdf
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Phone call
Payload is tel:+15550100. The number follows the prefix with no spaces.
tel:+15550100
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Plain text
Payload is the text itself, with no prefix. The phone shows it and offers to copy or search it.
Asset 4471 | Shelf B2 | Inspected 2026-09-01
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Restaurant menu
Payload is a link to a menu page, for example https://example.com/menu. The menu lives on the web, not in the code.
https://example.com/menu
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SMS
Payload is SMSTO:+15550100:JOIN. Number first, then the message, separated by colons.
SMSTO:+15550100:JOIN
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Spotify link
Payload is an open.spotify.com link: https://open.spotify.com/track/TRACKID. Albums, playlists and artists use the same pattern.
https://open.spotify.com/track/TRACKID
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TikTok profile
Payload is the profile URL with the at sign: https://www.tiktok.com/@username.
https://www.tiktok.com/@username
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URL
The payload is the web address itself, for example https://example.com/page. No prefix, no wrapper.
https://example.com/page
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vCard contact
Payload is a text block from BEGIN:VCARD to END:VCARD with one field per line: name, organization, phone, email, web address.
BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Lovelace;Ada;;; FN:Ada…
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WhatsApp
Payload is https://wa.me/15550100?text=Hello. The number has no plus sign, spaces or zeros, and the text is optional.
https://wa.me/15550100?text=Hello
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Wi-Fi
Payload starts with WIFI: and lists security type, network name and password separated by semicolons.
WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:coffee-and-cake;;
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X (Twitter) profile
Payload is the profile URL: https://x.com/username. Old twitter.com links still redirect.
https://x.com/username
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YouTube video or channel
Payload is a short video link: https://youtu.be/VIDEOID?t=42. The t parameter starts playback 42 seconds in.
https://youtu.be/VIDEOID?t=42
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Zoom meeting
Payload is the join link: https://zoom.us/j/1234567890?pwd=abc123. The number is the meeting ID; pwd is the encoded passcode.
https://zoom.us/j/1234567890?pwd=abc123