QR Code Payload Format Reference — All URI and Data Formats

QR codes encode plain strings — the format of that string determines what action a scanner takes. This reference covers every major payload format used by our QR Code Generator, with the exact syntax, field rules, and a working example for each.

Quick navigation

URL — Link to any website, landing page, or web resource.
WiFi — Connect to a WiFi network without typing the password.
vCard (Contact) — Share contact details — name, phone, email, company, address, website.
Email (mailto) — Open a pre-addressed email compose window on scan.
Phone (tel) — Dial a phone number directly on scan.
SMS — Open an SMS compose window with a pre-filled number and optional message.
WhatsApp — Open a WhatsApp chat with a pre-filled message.
UPI Payment — Initiate a UPI payment — pre-fills UPI ID, name, and optional amount.
Location (geo) — Open a map at specific coordinates on scan.
Calendar Event (iCalendar / VEVENT) — Add an event to the user's calendar on scan.
Plain Text — Encode arbitrary text — notes, codes, instructions, serial numbers.
PDF / Document URL — Link to a hosted PDF, doc, or file.

URL

Link to any website, landing page, or web resource.

Format

https://example.com/path?query=value

Example

https://webtoolsplanet.com/generator/qr-code-generator

Plain HTTPS URL — no special encoding required. HTTP URLs work but HTTPS is preferred for trust. Do not omit the scheme (https://) — bare domain names may not be recognised by all scanners.

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WiFi

Connect to a WiFi network without typing the password.

Format

WIFI:T:<security>;S:<SSID>;P:<password>;H:<hidden>;;

Example

WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:welcome2024;H:false;;

T: security type — WPA, WEP, or nopass. S: network name (SSID). P: password (omit for open networks). H: true if SSID is hidden. Special characters in SSID or password (semicolon, backslash, comma, colon, double-quote) must be escaped with a backslash.

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vCard (Contact)

Share contact details — name, phone, email, company, address, website.

Format

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:<last>;<first>;;;
FN:<display name>
ORG:<company>
TITLE:<job title>
TEL;TYPE=CELL:<phone>
EMAIL:<email>
URL:<website>
ADR;TYPE=WORK:;;;<street>;<city>;<state>;<zip>;<country>
END:VCARD

Example

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Sharma;Raj;;;
FN:Raj Sharma
ORG:Acme Ltd
TITLE:Product Designer
TEL;TYPE=CELL:+919876543210
EMAIL:raj@acme.com
URL:https://acme.com
END:VCARD

VERSION:3.0 is the most widely supported version. All fields except N and FN are optional. Phone numbers should include country code (+91 for India). Payload grows large with many fields — use error correction M or higher.

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Email (mailto)

Open a pre-addressed email compose window on scan.

Format

mailto:<address>?subject=<subject>&body=<body>

Example

mailto:hello@example.com?subject=Hello&body=I%20scanned%20your%20QR%20code

Subject and body must be URL-encoded (spaces → %20). All fields except the address are optional. Works in any email client app.

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Phone (tel)

Dial a phone number directly on scan.

Format

tel:<phone number>

Example

tel:+919876543210

Include country code with + prefix for international compatibility. Spaces and dashes are stripped by phone apps. On iOS and Android, tapping the QR opens the dialer with the number pre-filled.

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SMS

Open an SMS compose window with a pre-filled number and optional message.

Format

sms:<phone number>?body=<message>

Example

sms:+919876543210?body=Hello%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20QR%20code

The body parameter must be URL-encoded. The separator between number and body varies by platform: iOS uses &body=, Android may use ?body= or ;body=. Our generator uses the cross-platform compatible format.

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Open a WhatsApp chat with a pre-filled message.

Format

https://wa.me/<phone>?text=<message>

Example

https://wa.me/919876543210?text=Hello%21%20I%20scanned%20your%20QR%20code.

Phone number must include country code without the + prefix (e.g., 91 for India). Message must be URL-encoded. wa.me is the official WhatsApp deep link — it opens the WhatsApp app on mobile and WhatsApp Web on desktop.

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UPI Payment

Initiate a UPI payment — pre-fills UPI ID, name, and optional amount.

Format

upi://pay?pa=<UPI_ID>&pn=<payee name>&am=<amount>&cu=INR&tn=<note>

Example

upi://pay?pa=merchant@okaxis&pn=Ram%20General%20Store&am=100.00&cu=INR

pa: payee address (UPI ID). pn: payee name (URL-encoded). am: amount in decimal — omit for open-amount. cu: currency code, always INR for India. tn: optional transaction note. Recognised by Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, Amazon Pay, and all UPI apps.

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Location (geo)

Open a map at specific coordinates on scan.

Format

geo:<latitude>,<longitude>?q=<query>

Example

geo:28.6139,77.2090?q=India+Gate+New+Delhi

Latitude and longitude in decimal degrees. The q parameter is an optional place name that improves the map label. On Android, opens Google Maps. On iOS, opens Apple Maps (Google Maps if installed). Alternatively use a short Google Maps URL for consistent cross-platform behavior.

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Calendar Event (iCalendar / VEVENT)

Add an event to the user's calendar on scan.

Format

BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:<event title>
DTSTART:<YYYYMMDDTHHmmSS>
DTEND:<YYYYMMDDTHHmmSS>
LOCATION:<venue>
DESCRIPTION:<details>
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR

Example

BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Product Launch
DTSTART:20260601T090000
DTEND:20260601T110000
LOCATION:Taj Hotel Bangalore
DESCRIPTION:Annual product launch event
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR

DTSTART and DTEND use local time format (YYYYMMDDTHHmmSS, no Z suffix) — the calendar app interprets them in the scanning device's local timezone. DTSTART is required; DTEND and other fields are optional. iOS prompts to add the event to Calendar. Android behaviour varies by installed calendar app.

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Plain Text

Encode arbitrary text — notes, codes, instructions, serial numbers.

Format

<any plain text string>

Example

Serial: SN-2026-00142
Warranty: 2 years

No special format or prefix. Scanners display the raw text. Payload size limit: QR version 40 supports up to 2953 bytes of binary data or 4296 alphanumeric characters. Text QR codes are commonly used for offline labels, asset tags, and printed reference cards.

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PDF / Document URL

Link to a hosted PDF, doc, or file.

Format

https://example.com/path/to/document.pdf

Example

https://example.com/menu/restaurant-menu-2026.pdf

This is a plain URL pointing to the hosted file. On mobile, the browser will open the PDF in-app or prompt to download. Ensure the URL is publicly accessible without authentication. Use a URL shortener or custom domain for cleaner presentation in the QR.

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Payload size limits

QR code data capacity depends on the version (1–40) and error correction level. Higher error correction reduces data capacity. Practical limits for common formats:

Numeric only: up to 7,089 characters (version 40, error correction L)
Alphanumeric: up to 4,296 characters
Binary / UTF-8: up to 2,953 bytes
vCard with many fields: can exceed 500 bytes — use error correction M or Q
WiFi with long password: typically 60–120 bytes — well within limits

Encoding rules

URL query string values must be percent-encoded (space → %20, # → %23)
WiFi SSID and password: escape semicolon, backslash, comma, colon, and double-quote with a backslash
vCard values with commas or semicolons must be quoted or escaped
iCalendar event timestamps use local time format: YYYYMMDDTHHmmSS (no Z suffix — the scanning device applies its own timezone)
UPI amounts must use decimal notation with two decimal places: 100.00

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