How to Make a QR Code for a Website, Event or Calendar Invite (Free, No Expiry)
A QR code is the fastest way to move someone from paper to your website, menu, shop or event. The camera on almost every phone can read one. But there are two kinds of QR codes, and choosing the wrong one can leave you with thousands of printed flyers that suddenly stop working. Here is how to do it right.
Static vs dynamic QR codes
| Static QR code | Dynamic QR code | |
|---|---|---|
| What is inside | Your link or data itself | A short link to a QR company’s server |
| Expires? | Never | Can stop working if you stop paying |
| Edit after printing? | No | Yes |
| Scan statistics | Use UTM tags + your analytics | Built into the service |
| Cost | Free | Usually a monthly fee |
For most small businesses a static QR code is the safer choice: it is free and keeps working forever. Just make sure the link it points to stays online.
1. QR code for a website (URL to QR)
- Copy the full address, including https://.
- Paste it into the URL QR code generator.
- Optional: add UTM tags (for example utm_source=flyer, utm_medium=qr) so Google Analytics shows how many visits came from the QR code. The generator adds them for you.
- Choose colours and add your logo, then download PNG for screens or SVG for print.
Tip: link to the exact page people need — the menu, the product or the booking form — not just your homepage.
2. QR code for an event or calendar invite
An event QR code stores the event title, start and end time, place and description in the standard calendar format. When someone scans it, their phone offers to add the event to their calendar — perfect for wedding cards, seminars, sales and workshops.
- Open the event QR code generator.
- Enter the event name, date and time, location and a short note.
- Download it and test the scan on both an Android phone and an iPhone.
Keep the description short — the more text inside a QR code, the denser and harder to scan it becomes. For long details, put a link to an event page in the description instead.
Design rules so every QR code scans
- Dark code on a light background. Light-on-dark or low-contrast colours confuse many phone cameras.
- Keep a white border (the “quiet zone”) around the code — about four squares wide.
- Size: at least 2 × 2 cm for close scanning; for posters, about one tenth of the scanning distance (a code read from 2 m away should be about 20 cm wide).
- Logos: keep the logo small and use high error correction so the code still scans.
- Test before printing, on more than one phone, at the real printed size.
Other useful QR codes
- WhatsApp QR code — opens a chat with your business number.
- Wi-Fi QR code — guests join your Wi-Fi without typing the password.
- vCard QR code — saves your contact details to the phone.
- Email QR code — opens a ready-to-send email.
Make yours free
Every QR code made with the VeloBranding QR code generator is static, has no expiry, no watermark and no sign-up, and it is created in your browser. Add colours and your logo, then download PNG or SVG.
Frequently asked questions
Do QR codes expire?
A static QR code never expires — the website address or event details are stored inside the code itself. Dynamic QR codes from paid services point to a short link on their server, so they can stop working if the subscription ends.
Can a QR code add an event to a calendar?
Yes. An event QR code stores the title, date, time and location in the standard calendar (iCalendar) format. When scanned, most phones offer to add it to the calendar.
How small can a printed QR code be?
As a rule of thumb, at least 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 in) for close scanning, and larger the farther away people will be — roughly one tenth of the scanning distance.
