Wi-Fi QR Code: The Exact Format and How Guests Scan It
A Wi-Fi QR code is an ordinary QR code whose content is one line of text in a fixed pattern: WIFI:T:WPA;S:mynetwork;P:mypass;;. In that line T is the security type, S is the network name and P is the password, as the ZXing project wiki documents it. Google's Pixel help says a scanned QR code can connect you to a Wi-Fi network, so a guest can join without typing the password.
Below: the main fields, the two points where sources disagree (WPA3 and special characters), how to make a code, and scan steps for iPhone and Android.
Facts checked on 17 October 2026.
What is inside a Wi-Fi QR code
Two technical documents describe the string: the ZXing wiki, and the Android Open Source Project's Settings app, whose Wi-Fi QR code class uses the same example string and defines the allowed security values. IANA lists a provisional wifi URI scheme, registered in 2020, citing section 7 of the Wi-Fi Alliance's WPA3 specification, and described as backwards compatible with the "de-facto standard format". The specification text could not be verified here, so the field values below come from ZXing and Android.
| Part | Meaning | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
WIFI: | Prefix that marks the content as Wi-Fi settings | Both examples start with it |
T: | Security type | ZXing lists WEP, WPA, WPA2-EAP and nopass. Android's code defines nopass, WEP, WPA and SAE |
S: | Network name (SSID) | Required |
P: | Password | Ignored when T is nopass, and may be left out then |
H: | Hidden network | Optional; true if the network name is hidden |
;; | End of the string | The example ends with two semicolons |
A hidden WPA network, built from those fields, looks like WIFI:T:WPA;S:CafeGuest;P:example-pass;H:true;;. Field order differs between the two sources: Android's network configuration code writes S, then T, P and H, while the ZXing example starts with T. The ZXing wiki says the order of fields does not matter.
The P: field holds the password in plain text, so anyone who decodes the code can read it. The free QR code reader decodes a photo or screenshot of a code, shows the full string and labels it as a Wi-Fi network, which makes it a quick way to check what a code really contains. Put the printed code where you would be willing to put the password itself.
Where sources disagree: WPA3 and special characters
WPA3 and the T value. WPA3-Personal uses simultaneous authentication of equals (SAE) instead of a pre-shared key, according to the Android documentation, which also says Android added WPA3 support in version 10. In the QR string, the ZXing wiki lists no SAE value, while Android's code defines SECURITY_SAE = "SAE" next to WPA. Google's ML Kit barcode API, used by app developers, lists only open, WPA and WEP types; that describes the API, not the phone's camera app. None of these pages says which value a given camera app accepts for a WPA3 network. Do not assume T:SAE carries over from Android to iPhone, and test any WPA3 code on both platforms before printing.
Special characters. The ZXing wiki says the characters \, ;, ,, " and : should be escaped with a backslash. Android's escape function in the same configuration code escapes the backslash, comma, semicolon and colon, and the version read here does not escape the double quote. The sources differ on that one character. If you control the network name and password, leaving these characters out removes the question. If you do not, print a test copy and scan it on both platforms.
Names that look like hexadecimal. For an ASCII name or password that could be read as hex, the ZXing wiki's example is "ABCD", wrapped in double quotes. Test such a name before you print.
Make the code in five steps
- Copy the details. Copy the network name and password exactly as the router shows them, including capitals, spaces and punctuation.
- Choose the Wi-Fi type. In the QR code generator, QR Maker AI's Wi-Fi content type offers WPA/WPA2, WEP and no password, plus a hidden-network option. There is no separate WPA3 choice, so apply the advice above and test.
- Download the image. A Wi-Fi code is a static code: the details sit inside the pattern, it needs no account, and PNG export is free.
- Check the string and the artwork. Run a photo of the code through the reader, then through the QR code checker. The checker's score describes the design only; it cannot judge paper, ink or lighting. Use the size calculator to pick a printed width.
- Scan a printed test copy at real size with one iPhone and one Android phone before you print the sign. The QR codes that will not scan guide lists the usual causes if either fails.
Only URL codes can be dynamic, so a Wi-Fi code is always static. When the password changes, the printed sign is wrong, and the only fix is a new code on a new sign. A separate guest network whose password rarely changes keeps a sign valid longer. See the hotel use case for one placement and dynamic vs static codes for the difference.
How guests scan it
iPhone
- Open the Camera app from the Home Screen, Lock Screen or Control Center. Alternatively, open Control Center and tap Scan Code. Apple Support describes both routes.
- Hold the phone so the whole code is in view.
- Wait for the banner and tap it. In an Apple developer talk about QR code recognition in iOS 11, Apple says a Wi-Fi code shows a banner and tapping it prompts the user to join. That page is undated and describes an old release, and Apple's current scanning page does not mention Wi-Fi, so check the exact wording on your own phone.
If Scan Code is missing, touch and hold the background of Control Center, tap Add a Control, then tap Scan Code.
Android
- Open the Camera app and, in its settings under More settings, turn on "Camera scan suggestions".
- Point the camera at the code with the whole code on screen. You do not need to take a photo.
- Wait for the bubble or link, then tap it. Google Lens is an alternative, according to the same Pixel help page.
These are Google's steps for Pixel phones. Other makers' camera apps are not covered here, and the Pixel page gives no Wi-Fi-specific steps, so the prompt after you tap may look different.
A connected Pixel phone can also show a code: open Settings, then Network & internet, then Internet, tap the settings icon beside the network and tap Share, verifying your identity if asked. Google's Wi-Fi help says some of these steps work only on Android 11 and up.
When the phone does not offer to join
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Camera shows nothing useful, or only text | The code does not hold a string starting WIFI: | Decode it with the reader and compare the string with the table above |
| Phone offers to join, but the connection fails | A mistyped password, or a special character escaped differently | Copy the password again and avoid \ ; , " : if you can |
| WPA3 network fails | One possible cause is the T value, where the sources differ | Test T:WPA on an iPhone and an Android phone. If you write the string by hand with the T:SAE value from Android's code, test that on both too |
| Hidden network fails | H:true is part of the format. Apple's iOS 11 talk says hidden SSIDs are not supported in that release, and the pages read here do not describe current phones | Test on both platforms and print the typed details beside the code |
| The code will not scan at all | Size, contrast or the blank border | Use the checker and the size calculator |
Print the network name and password in text beside the code. Guests whose camera app does not read the code can then type them.
FAQ
What is the format of a Wi-Fi QR code?
It is a text string such as WIFI:T:WPA;S:mynetwork;P:mypass;;, where T is the security type, S the network name, P the password and an optional H:true marks a hidden network.
Can I make a QR code for a WPA3 network?
ZXing lists WPA and no SAE, while Android's code also defines SAE. Neither page says what each camera app accepts for WPA3, so test on an iPhone and an Android phone. The generator in QR Maker AI offers WPA/WPA2, WEP and no password, and writes T:WPA for the first; it has no separate WPA3 option.
Does a Wi-Fi QR code work for a hidden network?
The format has an H:true field. Apple's iOS 11 talk says hidden SSIDs are not supported in that release, and the pages read for this guide do not say how current phone cameras handle it. Test both platforms and print the typed details next to the code.
Can I change the Wi-Fi password without reprinting the code?
No. A Wi-Fi code is static, so the password is inside the pattern. Generate a new code and replace the printed one.
Can other people read the password from the code?
The P: field is the password as written, so any QR reader can show it. Treat the printed code like the password itself.
Sources
- ZXing project — Barcode Contents (Wi-Fi Network config). Page shows last edit 16 October 2026. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Google — Scan QR codes with your Pixel phone. Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Android Open Source Project — WifiQrCode.java (Settings app, main branch). Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- IANA — Provisional URI scheme: wifi. Registered 26 August 2020; last updated 15 December 2020. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Android Open Source Project — WifiNetworkConfig.java (Settings app, main branch). Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Android Open Source Project — WPA3 and Wi-Fi Enhanced Open. Last updated 9 October 2026. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Google — Barcode.WiFi, ML Kit reference. Last updated 31 October 2024. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Apple — Scan a QR code with your iPhone or iPad. Page date not cited. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Apple — QR Code Recognition on iOS 11 (Tech Talk). Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.
- Google — Connect to Wi-Fi networks on your Pixel phone. Undated. Accessed 17 October 2026.