QR codes: how to create one for your WiFi, vCard or mobile payment

QR codes are everywhere in 2026. But most developers only know they contain a URL. In reality, a QR code can store anything: WiFi, contact details, payments, events, and more.

Here are 5 concrete uses I've set up, and how to generate them.

1. WiFi QR code (the simplest, the most useful)

You visit someone, ask for the WiFi, they show you a QR code, you scan it, you're connected. No more "what was the password again?"

The WiFi QR code format:

WIFI:T:WPA;S:NetworkName;P:Password;H:false;;

T: security type (WPA, WEP, or empty)
S: SSID (network name)
P: password
H: hidden network (true/false)

Concrete example: for my "JcHub-Guest" WiFi with the password "Welcome2026":

WIFI:T:WPA;S:JcHub-Guest;P:Welcome2026;H:false;;

Paste that into a generator and you have your QR code. Your guests scan it → connected.

2. vCard QR code (sharing contact details)

You meet someone at a conference, hand them your QR code, they scan it, and they have your full contact. Faster than spelling out your email.

The vCard format:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:Jean Dupont
ORG:JcHub
TEL:+242069550625
EMAIL:[email protected]
URL:https://jchub.io
END:VCARD

Put that in a QR code, and the scanner adds the contact straight to the phone.

Use cases: networking, email signatures, physical business cards.

3. Mobile payment QR code (the game changer in Africa)

In Africa, mobile money (MTN MoMo, Airtel Money) is huge. And many merchants get paid via QR code.

The USSD format (works everywhere)

*150*1*1*number*amount*code#  (MTN MoMo)
*501*1*number*amount#          (Airtel Money)

You can generate a QR code containing this USSD code. The customer scans it → the payment app opens with the number + amount pre-filled.

With CinetPay (my recommendation for Congo)

CinetPay lets you generate payment QR codes directly. You create a "payment link", get a QR code, print it, and your customers scan and pay.

Advantage: the customer doesn't need to type the number, it's pre-filled.

Crypto payment

bitcoin:1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa?amount=0.01&label=Coffee

Bitcoin and other cryptos support URIs in QR codes.

4. Event QR code (calendar)

BEGIN:VCALENDAR
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART:20261225T190000Z
DTEND:20261225T230000Z
SUMMARY:Noël JcHub
LOCATION:En ligne
URL:https://jchub.io/noel
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR

You scan it → the event is added straight to your calendar.

Use cases: conferences, meetups, weddings, birthdays.

5. WiFi QR code without internet

A QR code can store up to 3,000 alphanumeric characters (version 40). So you can store:

A long text
A Base64 image
A PDF (up to ~3 KB)

It's useful for offline business cards or evacuation documents (in case the internet goes down).

How to generate a QR code

Online tool (the fastest)

I have a free QR Code Generator on JcHub. Paste your text/URL, choose the size, and download it as a PNG.

In JavaScript (for your app)

npm install qrcode

const QRCode = require('qrcode');

QRCode.toFile('qrcode.png', 'WIFI:T:WPA;S:JcHub-Guest;P:Welcome2026;;', {
  width: 300,
  margin: 2,
  color: {
    dark: '#000000',
    light: '#FFFFFF'
  }
});

In Python

import qrcode

qr = qrcode.QRCode(version=1, box_size=10, border=5)
qr.add_data('https://jchub.io')
qr.make(fit=True)
img = qr.make_image(fill_color="black", back_color="white")
img.save("qrcode.png")

Common mistakes

1. QR code too small

If you print your QR code and it's less than 2 cm wide, scanners struggle. Rule: at least 2 cm wide to be scanned from a distance.

2. No white margin

Around the QR code, you need a quiet zone (4 modules minimum). If you put your QR code on a colored background with no margin, it won't scan.

3. Too much data

If you put 3,000 characters in it, the QR code becomes very dense and hard to scan. Stick to what's necessary.

4. Dynamic vs static QR codes

Static: the content is baked into the QR code. If you change the URL, you have to reprint everything. Dynamic: the QR code points to a service that redirects. You can change the destination without reprinting.

Dynamic services: bit.ly, qr-code-generator.com (pro version), CinetPay for payments.

TL;DR

5 uses: WiFi, vCard, payment, event, offline
WiFi format: WIFI:T:WPA;S:Name;P:Password;;
vCard format: BEGIN:VCARD...END:VCARD
Mobile money: pre-filled USSD or CinetPay
Limits: 3,000 chars max, at least 2 cm wide
Free tool: jchub.io/outils/qr-code-generator

Coding a sharing feature and need dynamic QR codes? My QR Code Generator gives you a ready-to-use PNG in 1 click.

There are 14 free dev tools on JcHub → jchub.io/outils

#Productivity#qr code generator#wifi qr code#vcard qr code