TanodTools

vCard QR code generator

Enter contact details and get a vCard 3.0 QR code that phones scan to add the contact, plus the vCard text and a .vcf download.

Runs entirely in your browser

vCard text 

    

  


  

    

    

    

    

      
      
      
    

  




    

    
Writes vCard 3.0 text with a single phone of each kind, one email, one website and one address. Photos, multiple entries and non-Latin name variants are not included. Long lines are not folded.

    
    

      
How to make a vCard QR code
  1. Fill in the name and any details you want to share. Empty fields are left out of the card.
  2. Read the vCard text below the form. If the code looks dense, remove a field or lower the error correction.
  3. Download the QR code as PNG or SVG, or download the contact as a .vcf file you can open directly.

      
What is inside a contact QR code


A vCard QR code is a vCard written out as text and drawn as a QR code. The card starts with BEGIN:VCARD and ends with END:VCARD, and each line is a property: N holds the structured name, FN the name as it should be displayed, TEL a phone number with a type such as CELL, and so on. Scanning the code hands the phone the same text a .vcf file would contain, and the phone offers to save the contact.


The standard asks for lines to end in a carriage return and a line feed, so the file and the code use that. Values are escaped: a backslash, comma or semicolon gets a backslash in front, and a line break in the note becomes \n. The name and address are lists of parts separated by semicolons, so a semicolon typed into one part cannot spill into the next.


QR codes grow in steps called versions, from 1 (21 by 21 modules) to 40 (177 by 177). Every extra character may push a code to the next version. A card with only a name, phone and email is a modest version and scans easily on a small print. Adding a street address and a long note can double the width. If the code is dense, drop fields you can live without or choose a lower error correction level.


Tips



      
Questions
What is a vCard?
A vCard is a plain-text contact format, files ending in .vcf, read by phones, Outlook, Apple Contacts and Google Contacts. This tool writes version 3.0, the version that every mainstream address book accepts.
Is the contact information uploaded?
No. The vCard text and the QR code are made in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or sent, and the .vcf file is created on your device when you press the download button.
Why does the QR code get dense with a long note or address?
The code holds every character of the vCard, so each field adds modules and the grid grows. Phones scan large grids less reliably when printed small. The tool shows the QR version and suggests dropping the note, address or job title when the code is dense.
How are commas, semicolons and line breaks handled?
The vCard format uses them as separators, so in values they are escaped with a backslash, and a line break in the note becomes the two characters backslash and n. Name and address parts are kept in their separate positions. Web addresses are written as typed.
Do accents and non-English letters work?
Yes. The text is encoded as UTF-8 in both the .vcf file and the QR code, so accented names such as José or Zoë survive. Some very old address books may not read UTF-8 files correctly.
Why must I give a name or organisation?
The format requires a formatted name, and the QR code would otherwise be empty. If only an organisation is entered, it is used as the display name.