Sheet 02 · guest network
Wi-Fi that logs itself in.
One square on the back of the router, on the cafe table, or in the guest room. Guests point a camera, tap join, and they are on the network without asking you for the password.
Content
pick what goes insideAppearance
Plate
waiting for input
What actually goes inside
Not a link. A Wi-Fi code carries the network name, the password and the encryption type in one string that phones understand natively:
WIFI:T:WPA;S:YourNetwork;P:YourPassword;;
Because it is native, nothing needs installing. iOS reads it from the Camera app since iOS 11. Android reads it from the camera or Google Lens. No app, no account, no captive portal page.
The field that trips people up
A semicolon inside your network name or password breaks the string, because semicolons
separate the fields. This generator escapes them for you. Building it by hand, backslash
these four characters: \ ; , : "
Open networks need nopass
If the network has no password, choose Open rather than leaving the password field blank with WPA selected. A blank password with a WPA type is the most common reason a Wi-Fi code refuses to join.
Practical notes
- Avoid hidden SSIDs. They do not hide the network, they just make the connection fail more often.
- Print bigger than feels necessary. iOS wants the whole code in frame; a 40 mm square on a table card is fine, a 20 mm sticker is not.
- Not behind glass. Reflection kills scannability faster than distance does.
- Pick H for laminated cards. It survives scratches, fingerprints and a bit of glare, at the cost of a denser pattern.
- Changing the password invalidates the code. There is no expiry, so an old printout keeps working until you change the password itself.
Wi-Fi QR questions
Does this work on iPhone?
Yes. The built-in Camera app recognises the Wi-Fi format and offers a Join button. No third-party app is needed.
Why does my code say the password is wrong?
Almost always the encryption type. A network with no password must be encoded as Open, not WPA with an empty password. The second most common cause is a semicolon or colon in the password that was not escaped.
Can I hide the network name?
You can enable Hidden network here, but avoid it if possible. A hidden SSID still appears in every probe request, so it adds friction without adding security.
Is my Wi-Fi password sent anywhere?
No. The code is drawn on your device from the text you type. Nothing is transmitted, so there is no server that could log it.
Can I put a password on the QR code itself?
Not in a standard Wi-Fi code. That would need a server that checks the password first, which reintroduces everything these codes avoid.
Other sheets
QR Forge Desktop — $19 once
Everything on this page, minus the browser tab and the limits: batch generation from a CSV, your logo in the middle, vector PDF for print shops, and a folder you can keep on a machine that never goes online.