QR Codes Beyond URLs: Wi-Fi, vCards, SMS, Email, and Phone

Most people associate QR codes with URLs: point the camera, land on a web page. But the QR format is just a container — what goes inside is up to you. Five non-URL formats cover most real-world use cases, from guest Wi-Fi stickers to digital business cards.

1. Wi-Fi (the most loved trick)

A Wi-Fi QR encodes the network name, password, and encryption type so a phone can connect with one scan. No typing a 20-character password for the hundredth visitor.

The format is WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:password;H:false;;. Fields: T = type (WPA/WEP/nopass), S = SSID, P = password, H = hidden network flag. Special characters in SSID or password (;, :, ,, \, ") must be escaped with a backslash.

iOS 11+ and Android 10+ scan Wi-Fi QRs natively. Print one and stick it on the café counter — generate yours on the Wi-Fi QR Code Generator.

2. vCard (your business card, scannable)

A vCard QR saves your contact details directly to the scanner's address book. Tap to add — no typing the phone number, no transcription errors.

The format is vCard 3.0: BEGIN:VCARD\nVERSION:3.0\nFN:Alice Dupont\nORG:Example Corp\nTEL:+41 22 123 4567\nEMAIL:alice@example.com\nURL:https://example.com\nEND:VCARD. iOS 11+, Android, and desktop contact apps all parse it.

vCard 4.0 exists but scanner support is inconsistent in 2026. Stick with 3.0 unless you know your audience uses exclusively macOS Contacts. Build yours on the vCard QR Code Generator.

3. SMS (pre-filled texts)

An SMS QR opens the Messages app with both the recipient number and a draft message already typed. User taps Send.

The format is SMSTO:+41791234567:Hello from the scan. The older sms: URI exists but SMSTO: works more reliably across Android and iOS.

Use cases: customer-service hotlines with a default "Hi, I need help with order #__" message; event check-ins ("Hi, I arrived at table 5"); petition-signing flows. Generate on the SMS QR Code Generator.

4. Email (mailto: with subject and body)

An Email QR opens the default mail app with recipient, subject, and draft body filled in. The format is a standard mailto: URI with URL-encoded parameters: mailto:support@example.com?subject=Help&body=Hi%2C%20I%20need%20....

Keep the body short (under ~300 characters) so the QR stays small enough to scan from a phone camera. For longer forms, link to a web page instead.

Build yours on the Email QR Code Generator.

5. Phone (tel: tap-to-call)

The simplest format: tel:+41221234567. The scanner opens the dialer with the number pre-filled — they tap to call. The call does not start automatically (which is a good thing — accidental dialing would be a support nightmare).

Use international format with + and country code so the QR works globally. Perfect for taxi cards, delivery flyers, real-estate signs. Generate on the Phone QR Code Generator.

Should You Add a Logo?

Yes — as long as you set the error-correction level to H (30 % recovery). The QR has enough redundancy to survive a center logo occluding up to ~25% of the image. All our preset generators auto-select H when you upload a logo so the scan still works.

Sizing and Print Tips

• For screen display, 256×256 is plenty. For print, use SVG and scale — the vector never pixelates.
• Keep the quiet zone (white border) at least 4 modules wide. Most scanners require it.
• Test every printed QR with at least two different phones before going to production — cheap cameras struggle with low-contrast color combinations.

Once you know the text format, the QR becomes just a delivery mechanism. Encode what saves your users typing — Wi-Fi credentials, contact details, support flows — and watch the friction disappear.