Generate a QR Code for Wi-Fi Network Credentials

QR Codes for Wi-Fi Networks

Wi-Fi QR codes allow users to connect to a wireless network by scanning instead of manually entering the SSID and password. This is supported natively on iOS (11+), Android (10+), and most modern devices.

The WIFI URI Format

Wi-Fi credentials are encoded using a standardized URI format:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:MyNetworkName;P:MyPassword123;;

The format fields are:

Field	Description	Required
T	Authentication type: WPA, WEP, or nopass	Yes
S	SSID (network name)	Yes
P	Password	Yes (except nopass)
H	Hidden network: true or false	No (default: false)

Security Types

• WPA/WPA2/WPA3 — Use T:WPA for all WPA variants. The device will negotiate the appropriate version automatically.
• WEP — Use T:WEP. Note that WEP is considered insecure and should be avoided.
• Open Network — Use T:nopass and omit the P field: WIFI:T:nopass;S:GuestNetwork;;

Special Characters in SSID or Password

If the SSID or password contains special characters (;, ,, :, \, "), they must be escaped with a backslash:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:My\;Network;P:pass\:word123;;

Hidden Networks

For hidden networks that do not broadcast their SSID, set the H field to true:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:HiddenNet;P:secretpass;H:true;;

Best Practices

• Print the QR code near the router — Place it in a visible location for guests.
• Use WPA2 or WPA3 — Never use WEP or open networks for sensitive environments.
• Update the QR code when you change the password — An outdated QR code will fail silently when scanned.
• Consider a guest network — Generate a QR code for a separate guest network to keep your primary network secure.
• Test on both iOS and Android — Wi-Fi QR code support can vary between OS versions and manufacturer skins.