About sms QR codes
An SMS QR code opens the phone’s messaging app with your number and a pre-written message ready to send. It is the fastest way to get someone to text a keyword to a shortcode or a business line.
It works well for opt-in campaigns, "text JOIN to subscribe" posters, and service requests where the message needs to contain a specific reference, like a room or machine number.
How to make one
- Enter the destination number, ideally in international format.
- Write the message you want pre-filled. For keyword campaigns this is usually a single word.
- Scan the preview and confirm your messaging app opens with the right number and wording.
- Download and print. Add "Scan to text us" so people know what will happen.
What gets encoded
The code holds plain text in a format phones recognise. For this type it looks like this:
SMSTO:+15551234567:JOIN
The SMSTO: form is used rather than sms:?body= because scanners and Android handle it far more consistently. Spaces, brackets, and dashes are stripped from the number automatically.
Tips
- Keep keyword campaigns to one short word — it is easier to read out loud as a fallback for people who will not scan.
- Standard message rates apply for the sender, so say so on any printed material.
- Shortcodes work, but they are country-specific and will not do anything for international visitors.
- As with email, the sender can edit the text before sending.
Frequently asked questions
Does the message send automatically?
No. The scan opens a pre-filled draft and the person presses send. Sending silently would be an obvious avenue for abuse, so no phone allows it.
Why use SMSTO: instead of sms:?
Both exist, but support is uneven. SMSTO: is the convention from the original ZXing library and is understood by the widest range of scanners, so it is what this generator produces.
Do you see what I type here?
No. The code is generated entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter on this page is sent to our servers or stored anywhere.
Does this QR code expire?
No. The details are encoded directly into the pattern itself, so the code does not depend on this site or any account. It keeps working even if this site disappears, with no scan limit and no watermark.
Other QR code types
New to this? The QR code guide covers error correction, sizing for print, and the four reasons codes fail to scan.