CalcOak

vCard QR Code Generator: make a scannable contact card that saves straight to a phone

Address and note (optional)
QR code options

Show vCard text
Private by design: the code is drawn in your browser and nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. You can even use this page offline.
How to use this vCard QR generator
Fill in the fields you want people to receive: at minimum a name and a phone number or email, and optionally your organisation, job title, website, postal address and a short note. The QR code on the right redraws as you type, so you can watch it grow denser as you add detail. The bar underneath shows how much of the code's capacity you are using at the chosen error correction level; a 200-byte card fills roughly a tenth of it and scans effortlessly, while anything above 800 bytes starts to need a bigger print size.
Open the options panel to set the error correction level, pixel size, quiet-zone margin and colours. Keep the foreground much darker than the background, because scanners read contrast, not colour, and a pale blue on white will fail on a cheap camera. When you are happy, download a PNG for documents and email signatures, an SVG for anything that will be printed or scaled (business cards, banners, conference badges), or the .vcf file itself to attach to an email or import into your own address book. The "Show vCard text" panel lets you check exactly what will be encoded.
Why encode a vCard instead of linking to a profile page
A QR code that points to a URL only works if the recipient has signal, the page stays online and the link shortener you used is still in business. A vCard QR contains the contact data itself, so it works in a basement conference hall, on a card handed over in another country, or years after the event when your old landing page is gone. It also removes the "which app do I need" step: iPhone and Android cameras both offer to save the contact directly from the viewfinder.
Because your details are personal, this page deliberately does nothing beyond drawing the code. Many online generators store what you enter, attach tracking redirects or put the code behind a subscription so it stops working when you cancel. Here the vCard is assembled by a few lines of JavaScript running on your own device, the QR is rendered to a canvas element, and the downloads are created from that canvas without any server involvement. Print it on 500 cards and it will still scan in a decade.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when someone scans a vCard QR code?+
The phone camera recognises the vCard text inside the code and offers to create a new contact, with the name, numbers, email, address and any note already filled in. On iPhone this appears as a banner above the camera view; on Android the Google Lens or camera app shows an "Add contact" button. No app needs to be installed and no internet connection is required to read it.
Which fields should I include to keep the code easy to scan?+
Every character you add makes the QR grid denser, so put in what people genuinely need: name, one or two phone numbers, email and possibly a website. A typical card with those fields is around 150 to 250 bytes and produces a code that scans instantly from a business card. A full postal address and a long note can push it past 500 bytes, which still works but needs a larger print size and steadier hands.
What does the error correction level do?+
Error correction adds redundant data so the code can still be read when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered by a logo. L tolerates about 7% damage, M 15%, Q 25% and H 30%. Higher levels make the code denser for the same content, so M is a sensible default for printed cards; pick H only if you plan to overlay a logo or the code will be exposed to wear.
Is my contact information uploaded anywhere?+
No. The vCard text and the QR image are generated entirely inside your browser using JavaScript, and nothing is sent to a server or saved on our side. You can load the page, disconnect from the internet and it will keep working. The only copies of your details are the files you choose to download.
Should I use vCard 3.0 or 4.0?+
This tool produces vCard 3.0 because it is the version phones read most reliably. Apple, Samsung and stock Android contact apps all import 3.0 without complaint, whereas some scanners still ignore 4.0 files or drop fields from them. The 3.0 format also has a slightly shorter header, which is a small bonus when every byte affects the density of the code.
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