Set up a guest Wi-Fi QR code for visitors
A Wi-Fi QR code contains the network name and password directly. It saves guests from typing credentials, but anyone with a photo can read the password, so use a separate guest network.
Set it up
- Enable a guest network on your router and copy its SSID exactly, including capitalization.
- Choose WPA for modern WPA2/WPA3 networks, enter the guest password and mark hidden only if the SSID is hidden.
- Download the code and test on a phone that has never joined that network; confirm it connects to the guest network.
What to encode
The payload is a WIFI: credentials string, not a web URL. It carries the SSID, security type and password in readable form; do not encode your staff or router-admin network.
Print size and contrast
At a welcome-book viewing distance, use a 3 cm or larger black-on-white square and leave the quiet zone clear. Matte paper is easier to scan than a reflective acrylic stand.
Where to place it
Put it in the guest welcome booklet or near the check-in point, not outside the property where passersby can photograph it. Label the guest SSID next to it for manual entry.
Common mistakes
- Changing the password invalidates every printed copy.
- A mistyped capital letter in the SSID points to the wrong network.
- Do not advertise credentials for your private devices or management network.
When to use a dynamic code
A standard Wi-Fi QR code cannot be made editable with a dynamic web redirect: phones read credentials straight from the printed pattern. Reprint after password changes; a dynamic URL to a hosted instruction page is a different experience and will not join Wi-Fi automatically.
FAQ
Will guests need internet to scan the code?
No. The credentials are stored inside the QR code and the phone can join the network directly.
Can I rotate the password without replacing the sign?
Not with a direct Wi-Fi code. Print a new one when the network credentials change.