How to Make a QR Code for Google Reviews, Within the Rules
To make a QR code for Google reviews, sign in to your Business Profile on a computer, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the review link or save the QR code Google shows. Google's help page says reviews QR codes can currently only be generated on a computer browser, not on mobile devices. Print the code where customers finish, ask everyone for honest feedback, and offer nothing in return: Google's tips page calls rewards for reviews "strictly prohibited".
Two rule sets apply, and they differ. Google's Maps policy bans offering incentives, such as payment, discounts or free goods or services, in exchange for a review. The US Federal Trade Commission's rule is narrower: its Questions and Answers page says the rule does not prohibit incentives as long as none requires a particular sentiment. On your Google profile, follow the stricter Google rule.
Facts checked on 17 October 2026.
Google's help pages carry no publication date, so everything attributed to them below is "as of October 2026". Reopen them before a large print run.
Step 1: Copy the review link from your Business Profile
- On a computer, sign in and open your Business Profile.
- Select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews (the share icon).
- Select Copy to copy the review link, or right-click the QR code and choose "Save image as...".
Copy the link exactly as Google gives it. Google's page does not describe the link's format, so do not try to build one by hand. Customers must be signed in to a Google Account to leave a review, so test the finished code on a phone where you are signed in and on one where you are not.
Google's page also says you can save the QR code as an image and print it to display in your store, and that is enough for a single sign. The page does not mention scan counts or changing the destination after printing. A code of your own makes sense when you want one code per placement, a scan count for each, or a destination you can change after printing.
Step 2: Turn the link into a code you can count and edit
Open the QR code generator, choose the URL type, paste the review link and save it as a dynamic code. The generator does not accept a link on another URL-shortener domain as the destination of a dynamic code, so if the link you copied is a shortened one, open it and paste the full address it leads to. A dynamic code encodes a short link that redirects, so you can change the destination later and the next scan goes to the new address. Saving a dynamic code needs an account with a verified email; a static code needs no account and encodes the review link directly. The static versus dynamic guide covers the trade-off.
Make one code per placement and name each one: receipt, counter, bag. As of October 2026, QR Maker AI's free plan includes three active dynamic codes (pricing). The Review stand template in the examples gallery is a ready-made counter-card style to start from. Its default design has a five-star icon and the headline "Enjoyed your visit?", so change both to match the wording advice in Step 3. The Google reviews guide lists more placement ideas.
The dashboard shows how many times each code was scanned. That is not a review count. Someone can scan and never post, and reviews appear only in your Business Profile, so judge results there. How to track QR code scans explains what the numbers can and cannot tell you.
Step 3: Place the code and word the request
Google's page suggests four places: your receipts, thank-you emails, the end of a chat, and a printed code displayed in your store. It adds that you can also send review requests by email, WhatsApp message or Facebook post.
Beside a printed code, write one neutral line such as "Tell us how we did". Leave out stars, ratings and anything that sounds like a reward. Give the code to every customer, not a hand-picked group; the next section explains why.
For size, think about where people will stand when they scan. The print size guide has distances and dimensions.
What Google allows, what it bans, and what the FTC says
| Practice | FTC rule (US) | |
|---|---|---|
| Asking customers for a review with a link or QR code | Allowed: Google says you can ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code | The Q&A page has no entry about QR codes or review links |
| Payment, discounts or free goods or services for posting a review | Prohibited (Maps policy) | Not banned by the rule if no particular sentiment is required, though the FTC says failing to disclose incentives could violate the FTC Act |
| A reward only for 5-star or positive reviews | Prohibited (Maps policy) | Prohibited (FTC Q&A) |
| A reward for changing or removing a negative review | Prohibited (tips page) | The rule does not prohibit it, but the FTC says it could be an unfair practice under the FTC Act (FTC Q&A) |
| Asking only the customers you think are happy | Prohibited (Maps policy): merchants may not "selectively solicit positive reviews from customers" | No specific ban in the rule, but the FTC says "this practice could violate the FTC Act" (FTC Q&A) |
Google's Maps policy states that incentivized or biased reviews are "not allowed and will be removed from Maps". Its tips page applies the same ban to rewards for changing reviews or removing negative ones. If your reward is not tied to a star rating, the FTC rule may allow it, but Google does not, so skip it.
The FTC announced the final rule on 14 August 2024, and the Federal Register notice says it took effect on 21 October 2024. The eCFR, which says it is up to date as of 15 October 2026, still contains the rule as 16 CFR Part 465. Section 465.4 makes it unfair or deceptive to give compensation or other incentives in exchange for, or conditioned on, reviews expressing a particular sentiment, positive or negative. A template warning letter dated 22 December 2025 gives gift cards or discounts only for 5-star reviews as an example, and says a court could impose civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation. It is a template with no named recipient, not an enforcement action, so check the current figure before relying on it.
This is not legal advice. The FTC rule is a US federal rule and this article does not cover other countries, so check the rule text and your local requirements.
Step 4: Check the printed code before you hand it out
- Scan a printed proof with two different phones. It should open the review form for your business, not another location.
- Run the proof through the free QR code checker, which works in your browser, then print a sample and scan that too.
- Read the sign aloud. Remove any reward, rating or "happy customers only" language.
- Re-read Google's help pages before each reprint. They are undated, so changes are easy to miss.
FAQ
How do I get a QR code for my Google reviews?
Sign in to your Business Profile on a computer, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link or save the QR code. As of October 2026, Google says reviews QR codes can only be generated on a computer browser.
Can I give a discount or free item for a Google review?
No. Google's help page says offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited. The FTC rule is narrower, but Google's rule governs your Google profile.
Can I ask only my happy customers to leave a review?
Google's Maps policy says merchants may not selectively solicit positive reviews. The FTC says its rule has no specific ban on this, but the practice could violate the FTC Act. Ask everyone.
Does a scan count tell me how many reviews I got?
No. A scan means the code was opened; it says nothing about whether a review followed. Count reviews in your Business Profile.
Can I use the same kind of code to ask for Yelp reviews?
Yelp's content guidelines say businesses should never ask customers to write reviews, so a Yelp review code would run against Yelp's own guidance. Google, by contrast, tells businesses they can ask by link or QR code.
Sources
- Google — Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews. Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Google — Tips to get more reviews. Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Google — Prohibited & restricted content, Maps User Generated Content Policy Help. Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission — The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers. Published November 2024. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission — Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials. Published 14 August 2024. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Federal Register (via GovInfo) — Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials; Final Rule. Published 22 August 2024. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) — 16 CFR Part 465, Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials. Page states it is up to date as of 15 October 2026. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission — Warning letter template, Division of Advertising Practices. Dated 22 December 2025. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Yelp — Content Guidelines. Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.