Plain text
Any words, in a square.
The simplest kind of code: plain text, with no scheme and no format. The scanner shows exactly what you typed. Useful whenever the point is to read something, not to open something.
live example — scannable
Payload format
No format at all
There is no prefix and no structure — the code contains your characters and the scanner displays them. Because we force UTF-8 encoding, accented characters, Devanagari and emoji all survive intact, which is where many generators quietly corrupt the payload.
Table 12 · Ask for the specials- Encoding
- UTF-8, always. Non-ASCII text stays correct rather than turning to garbage.
- Length
- Longer text means a denser code. Keep it short if it will be read at distance.
- Line breaks
- Preserved, and displayed by most scanners as typed.
How to make one
Type it, take it
- 01
Type your text
Anything at all — a note, a reference, an instruction.
- 02
Watch the code redraw
The preview updates as you type, so density is visible immediately.
- 03
Download
PNG for screens, vector for print.
Where it earns its keep
Where plain text is the right answer
- An asset tag carrying a serial or inventory number.
- A short instruction on equipment, readable without an internet connection.
- A door code or locker combination for a specific guest.
- A note inside a package for whoever opens it.
Questions
Text QR codes, answered
Does my text get sent anywhere?
No. Encoding happens in this browser tab. Nothing is transmitted, which is exactly why this works with the network off.
Will emoji and non-English text work?
Yes. We force UTF-8 on the byte segment. Many encoders default to ISO-8859-1, which silently mangles anything outside basic Latin — a failure you only discover after printing.
How much text can one code hold?
Thousands of characters in theory, but density rises fast and scannability falls with it. If you are past a couple of hundred characters, a link to the text usually works better.
Can text be edited after printing?
No. A static code contains the data itself, so changing the words means a new code.