What you need to know about QR codes

Simple and fast - this is the most important information about QR codes

What is a QR code?
The QR code can be regarded as a further development of the classic barcode. Its name is derived from the English "Quick Response Code". The QR code was invented as early as 1994 by the Japanese manufacturer Denso Wave to track vehicles along the production line.

How useful are QR codes?
Of course, QR codes are only as useful as the content behind them. In fact, QR codes have become increasingly popular in recent years. This is also due to the fact that, unlike in the past, QR codes can be scanned with almost any smartphone without an app. QR codes are used in many areas today:

Augmented Reality: QR codes are used in AR applications to determine the position of objects in 3-dimensional space.
Virtual Stores: QR codes are used to set up "virtual stores" where the customer is presented with a gallery of products, for example on a billboard at the train station. Customers scan the QR codes and the products are delivered to their homes.
QR Code Payments: QR codes can be used to store account details or credit card information.
Hospitality: Restaurants can present a QR code near the front door that allows guests to view a digital menu or even redirect them to an ordering page or app.
Counterfeit detection: QR codes are used by brands to enable consumers, retailers and distributors to verify the authenticity of products and help detect counterfeit products.
Covid-19 Pandemic: Following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, QR codes were used as a "touchless" system to display information, display menus, or provide up-to-date consumer information, especially in the hospitality industry.

How do you "read" a QR code?

In the past, you needed a special app to read (scan) a QR code. For some years now, smartphones have been able to read the codes and display the content without an additional app. Readability is influenced by various factors, including the complexity of the code pattern, lighting conditions and the size (dimensions) of the QR Code. Our QR codes from qr.to have one big advantage: we use one of the shortest domains in the world, which is why the code patterns are very easy to read and therefore also work at a small size or from a greater distance.

How is a QR code generated?

There are countless tools you can use to create QR codes. We find that our tool is perfect because:

You can create as many QR codes as you want for free
You can edit created codes without changing the code pattern
You can measure the success of your QR codes thanks to great statistics

What is the difference between static and dynamic codes?

The biggest difference between static and dynamic codes is that the dynamic QR code can be edited even after printing, while the static one cannot.