How to Make a QR Code for a Location
An address printed on a flyer, a poster or an invitation means someone has to read it, type it into a maps app, and get it right. A location QR code skips all of that: one scan and Google Maps opens on the pin, with the directions button already there.
Any maps link works. This guide uses Google Maps because it is on almost every phone, but a link from Apple Maps, Waze or any other map service can go behind the QR code in exactly the same way.
Why make it with Linkly?
A free QR generator bakes the map link into the QR code itself, so the QR code is frozen from the moment it is printed. Linkly's QR codes point at a short link instead, which means:
- You can move the pin later. If the venue changes, edit the link and every printed QR code sends people to the new place.
- Every scan is counted, with the city it was scanned in and the kind of phone that scanned it.
- The QR code can carry your logo and colours, and live on your own domain.
How to create a location QR code
Copy the place link out of Google Maps.
Find the place in Google Maps, click or tap Share, and choose Copy link. The link opens the pin with the directions button ready. If you want the QR code to open turn-by-turn directions straight away, get directions to the place first and share from there instead.
Sign in to Linkly and click Create New Link.
Create a free account if you don't have one yet.
Paste the map link into the Destination field.
Give the link a short ending you can say out loud, such as /venue or /find-us, and a Nickname such as "Summer fair venue" so you can find it again in a month.
Click Save.
The short link and its QR code come back together. There is no separate generator step.
Download the QR code.
Click the QR code to style it and download a PNG for print or an SVG if a designer is laying out the flyer. See SVG QR codes for the print workflow.
Scan it before you print.
Point a phone at the QR code on your screen. Google Maps should open on the pin, in the app if it is installed and in the browser if not.
What the scan opens
On a phone with the Google Maps app installed, the QR code opens the app on your pin, with Directions one tap away. Without the app, it opens the same place in the browser. Either way the person gets there without typing anything.
If most of your visitors use iPhones and you would rather open Apple Maps, share the place from Apple Maps instead and paste that link. A Waze link works the same way for drivers.
When the venue moves
Venues move, rooms change, and the flyers are usually already printed when it happens. Open the link in Linkly, paste the new place's link into Destination, and save. The short link and the printed QR code stay exactly as they were; everyone who scans from then on is sent to the right place.
The same edit turns a one-off QR code into a permanent one. A "find us" QR code on your business card can follow you to a new office, and the QR code on a market stall's sign can point at this week's pitch.
Every scan is counted
Because the QR code runs through a short link, Linkly's analytics show how many people scanned it, when, which cities they were in, and what kind of phone they used. If you print the same location on flyers for three neighbourhoods, give each batch its own short link and QR code, and you will know where the next stack of flyers should go.
Where location QR codes get used
- Event flyers and posters, so the address at the bottom becomes one scan.
- Invitations, for the ceremony, the reception and the hotel. For a wedding, pair it with a wedding photo QR code.
- Business cards and email signatures for a shop or clinic.
- Menus and table cards that point at your second location.
- Property boards and parcel labels, where the address is the whole point.
Frequently asked questions
Does the QR code open the Google Maps app?
If the app is installed, yes. If not, the same place opens in the phone's browser. Nobody has to install anything to use it.
Can I use Apple Maps or Waze instead of Google Maps?
Yes. Share the place from Apple Maps or Waze, paste that link into Linkly, and the QR code opens that app instead. Any maps link works.
Can I change the location after the QR code is printed?
Yes. Edit the short link's destination and every printed QR code sends people to the new place. Nothing needs reprinting.
Can I make a QR code that opens turn-by-turn directions?
Yes. In Google Maps, get directions to the place, then share the directions rather than the place. Paste that link into Linkly and the scan opens the route straight away.
Can I see how many people scanned it?
Yes. Every scan is a click on the short link, so you see totals over time, the cities people scanned from, and their device type.
Is it free?
Yes. Every Linkly link comes with a QR code, including on the free plan, and the QR codes do not expire.
Can I add my logo to the QR code?
Yes. Click the QR code in Linkly to change its colours and add a logo. See adding a logo to a QR code.
Related QR code guides
- Create QR Codes - the complete guide to dynamic QR codes in Linkly
- Wedding Photo QR Code - one QR code that collects every guest's photos
- Google Review QR Code - collect more reviews from a table card
- Add a Logo to a QR Code - branded QR codes that still scan
- QR Code Analytics - track scans by time, place and device
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