Generate QR code to connect to WiFi
Enter SSID to generate QR
A QR code is just a visual representation of text. When your phone scans a Wi-Fi QR code, it doesn't do anything magical—it simply reads a hidden text string formatted according to a specific standard established by ZXing.
The format looks like this: WIFI:S:MyNetworkName;T:WPA;P:MyPassword;;
Your phone's camera app detects the WIFI: prefix and immediately knows to hand the data over to the operating system's Wi-Fi manager instead of opening a web browser.
QR codes use an advanced mathematical concept called Reed-Solomon Error Correction. This allows a QR code to be scanned successfully even if it is partially damaged, dirty, or if you place a custom logo right in the middle of it.
When generating a code, you can select the Error Correction Level (L, M, Q, H). Level L allows ~7% damage recovery but keeps the code small and simple. Level H allows up to ~30% damage recovery, but the resulting QR code will be very dense and complex.
If your router is configured to "hide" its SSID (network name), phones will not connect to it even if they scan the correct QR code. To fix this, the QR code standard includes a hidden flag: H:true;. If this flag isn't appended to the string, the phone's OS will assume the network is broadcasting and fail to find it.
What does the raw text inside a standard Wi-Fi QR code actually look like?
