Google Drive QR Code Generator
When the thing you want to hand over is a file (a photo album from an event, a price sheet, a slide deck, a folder of course materials), a Google Drive QR code is the quickest route from paper to phone. Paste a Drive or Docs share link and QRPebble recognises what it is: a Drive file, a folder, or a Google Doc, Sheet or Slides deck. It then rebuilds a clean link without the tracking and account parameters that often come along when you copy from the address bar. For files stored in Drive, you can also choose what happens on scan: open Google's preview, or download the file directly, which suits an audio track, an installer or a print-ready PDF. Permissions still live in Drive, so set the item to 'Anyone with the link' before you print.
Static code: the data is encoded directly, so it never expires and is not tracked. Need to change the link after printing or count scans? Create a free dynamic code.
How to make it
- In Drive, open Share, set General access to 'Anyone with the link' and copy the link.
- Paste it into the share-link field.
- For Drive files, choose Open the file preview or Download the file directly.
- Download the code and scan it from a phone signed out of Google to confirm there's no 'Request access' page.
What gets encoded
Depending on what you paste, the payload is https://drive.google.com/file/d/<id>/view (file preview), https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=<id> (direct download), https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/<id> (folder), or https://docs.google.com/document|spreadsheets|presentation/d/<id>/edit?usp=sharing for Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. Direct download only applies to uploaded files, not native Docs. For files Google can't virus-scan (roughly over 100 MB), Drive shows a confirmation page before downloading. Moving a file to a different folder keeps its link, but deleting and re-uploading creates a new ID, so use a dynamic code if the file will be replaced.
Where people use it
- Event photo albums shared from a folder
- Course materials and reading packs
- Price sheets and spec documents in Sheets or PDF
- Slide decks handed out at the end of a talk
Tips before you print
- Always test signed out: the 'Request access' page is the most common failure with Drive codes.
- Choose direct download for audio or print files; choose preview for documents people should read on the phone.
- Replacing a file? Use Drive's 'Manage versions' to upload a new version under the same link, or use a dynamic code.
- Link a folder rather than individual files when you'll keep adding content.
FAQ
Why do people see 'You need access'?
The item isn't shared publicly. In Drive, set General access to 'Anyone with the link', then scan again.
Can a Google Doc download directly?
Not with this option. Direct download applies to uploaded Drive files. For Docs, export to PDF, upload it, and link that file.
Will the code break if I move the file?
No. Moving keeps the same ID. Deleting and re-uploading creates a new link.