All about the QR code

The QR code has been widely seen in the streets for several years. More and more organisations are embracing the QR code as an efficient and attractive way to market. But how does the QR code work exactly, and where does it come from?

In short

•  The QR code is a code with data embedded in it that your phone or tablet recognizes to redirect you to the data;
• The QR code has been around since 1994 but has recently gained widespread popularity;
• At QRcode.me, you can create both free static and dynamic QR codes.

What is a QR code?

A QR code is a code that can be scanned by a phone or tablet. It consists of square blocks that can be scanned and recognized by the built-in QR scanner on your phone (using the camera app). The QR code contains information (such as a link or text) that you are directed to when you scan it.

A QR code takes up little space, is appealing to scan, and the information can be easily updated.

 

How does a QR code work?

A QR code does nothing more than display information when scanned. The person creating the QR code enters information such as a link to a webpage or a piece of text. This information is processed into a QR code, which is essentially a pattern of blocks on a background. The arrangement of the blocks on the background is unique for each QR code. A phone recognizes the unique pattern and directs the scanner to the information.

A QR code does nothing more than display the information it contains when scanned.

To scan a QR code, simply point the camera of your phone at the QR code, and a pop-up with the information will appear. Doesn’t it work? Click here. If you want to create a QR code, you need a generator. The generator converts readable information into a QR code. More about the creation process below…

Where does the QR code come from?

In 1994, the Japanese company Denso Wave developed the QR code. Denso wanted a better way to identify components, which led to the development of the QR code by Denso Wave. This happened when an engineer named Masahiro Hara, after playing the game Go, realized that it was possible to encode in two directions, unlike barcodes that encode in only one direction.

No patent was ever filed for the QR code. In rapidly digitalizing Japan, the QR code found more and more applications. It was soon realized that links could be provided with a QR code, allowing for sharing of information in magazines, flyers, and even lampposts and walls. Nowadays, appointments are scheduled, locations are shared, and contact information is forwarded using QR codes.

Outside eastern Asia, the QR code gained popularity much later. QRcode.me has been around for 11 years now, and every year we see an increasing use of the QR code. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, many people and organizations have embraced the QR code. The QR code can display a lot of information on a small surface, it allows for easy updating of information without reprinting, and it attracts attention, making it popular in marketing.

Masahiro Hara, inventor of the QR code.

Creating a QR code

Almost all QR code generators charge for creating QR codes. QRcode.me is the first and largest QR code generator that offers both dynamic and static QR codes for free. Want to create a QR code? Click here! Or click here for an explanation of how to create a QR code.

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