Short answer: You can make a QR code for free in Chrome: open the page, select Create QR code and download it. Add UTM parameters to the link first so you can count the scans. Print your web address next to the code, and check your printed codes now and then, since scammers cover real ones with their own.
How to make a QR code in Chrome
Chrome creates a QR code for any page you open, on a computer or a phone. On a computer, the option sits in the More menu, under Cast, save, and share.
- Decide which page the code opens, ideally one made for the people who will scan it.
- Add UTM parameters to the page’s address, as in the table below.
- Open that address in Chrome on your computer.
- Select More, then Cast, save, and share, then Create QR code.
- Select Download to save the code.
- Scan it with your phone’s camera to check it opens the right page.
- Print it with your web address next to it.
On an Android phone, open the page in Chrome, tap More, then Share, and select QR Code. On an iPhone, tap Share at the top, then Create a QR Code, and tap Share below the code to save or send it.
The page matters as much as the code. A page made for the people who scan it works better than a home page. Put the offer from the flyer in its first line, as our guide to landing pages explains.
A QR code for Google reviews
For reviews, Google makes the code for you. In your Business Profile, select Read reviews and then Get more reviews, and save the QR code it shows. Google only generates it in a computer browser, and it doesn’t allow offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for reviews. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers where to use it.
How to count the scans
A QR code is just a link, so you measure it like any link. Add UTM parameters to the address before you make the code, and Google Analytics will show those visits under the source and campaign you chose. Google says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign.
| Parameter | What Google Analytics reads in it | On a flyer’s QR code |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | The referrer, such as a newsletter or a billboard | flyer |
| utm_medium | The marketing medium, such as email or banner | qr |
| utm_campaign | The product, slogan or promo, such as a spring sale | spring_sale |
Meanings from Google’s Analytics Help page on URL builders, read on November 6, 2026; the flyer values are our own example.
Use a different source or campaign for each flyer, sign or card, so you can compare them. Our guide to UTM parameters explains the rest of the tags and how to name them.
How to keep your QR codes safe
The FTC warns consumers about QR code scams. It has reports of scammers covering QR codes on parking meters with codes of their own. Those codes can lead to fake sites that steal what people type, or install malware.
It tells people to inspect the web address before opening it, looking for misspellings or a switched letter. It also tells them not to scan QR codes in emails or texts they weren’t expecting, especially ones that urge them to act immediately.
The rest is our advice for a business. Print your web address next to the code, so customers can compare it with what their phone shows. Check your printed codes now and then for a sticker on top. And in emails and texts, send a link rather than a code.
Before you print your QR code
- The code opens a page that works well on a phone.
- The link carries utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign.
- You scanned it with your own phone.
- Your web address is printed next to it.
- You know where each printed code is, to check it now and then.
- Your emails and texts carry links, not codes.
RememberA QR code is a link people open with their camera. Make it in Chrome, tag the link so you can count the scans, print your address next to it, and check your codes so nobody covers them with their own.
Our landing page service builds pages in English and Spanish that keep the promise of the ad in their first line. Each one asks for one thing and records whether people did it. Send us a WhatsApp message or use the form.
Quick answers about QR codes
Can I make a QR code for free?
Yes, with Chrome. On a computer, open the page and select More, then Cast, save, and share, then Create QR code, and download it. On Android or iPhone, Chrome creates one from its Share options.
Can I make a QR code for Google reviews?
Yes. Google creates one in your Business Profile: select Read reviews, then Get more reviews, right-click the QR code and save the image. Google only generates review QR codes in a computer browser, not on mobile devices.
How do I know how many people scanned my QR code?
Add UTM parameters to the link before you make the code, then look for that source and campaign in Google Analytics. Google says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign when you add parameters to a link.
Are QR codes safe for my customers?
They can be misused. The FTC has reports of scammers covering real QR codes with their own, and it tells people to inspect the web address before opening it. Print your address next to your code so customers can compare.
What page should my QR code open?
A page made for the people who scan it, that works well on a phone. If the flyer promises a discount, the page should show that discount first and make the next step obvious, as our landing page guide explains.
Sources
Sources read on November 6, 2026: Share tabs in Chrome (Google Chrome Help, computer), with its Android and iPhone and iPad versions. Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews (Google Business Profile Help). URL builders: Collect campaign data with custom URLs (Analytics Help). Scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal your information (FTC Consumer Advice).