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Google Drive QR code generator

Copy your file's link from the Share button in Google Drive, set it to Anyone with the link, and paste it here. You can even swap in a new version of the file later and keep the same printed code.

Google Drive QR code generator

What should the code open?
Website details

Paste the full link. If you leave out https://, it is added for you.

Colors, size and logo

Higher levels survive damage and logos but make the code denser.

Your image stays on your device. Adding a logo switches error correction to High.

Example QR code

Example. Fill in the form to make yours.

Static code. Free forever. It never expires.

How to make a QR code for a Google Drive file

  1. Open sharing for the file

    In Google Drive, right-click the file or folder and choose Share, then Share again.

  2. Set General access to Anyone with the link

    Under General access, change Restricted to Anyone with the link, keep the role as Viewer, then click Copy link.

  3. Paste the link and test it signed out

    Paste it above, then scan the code on a phone that is not signed in to your Google account.

Google Drive does not make QR codes, but it gives you a link that works perfectly in one. Use the link from the Share window, not the address in your browser bar.

  1. In Drive, right-click the file or folder and choose Share, then Share again.
  2. Under General access, change Restricted to Anyone with the link.
  3. Leave the role as Viewer, so people can open it but not change it.
  4. Click Copy link, then Done, and paste the link into the generator above.

A file link looks like drive.google.com/file/d/ followed by a long ID. A folder link has /drive/folders/ in it. Both work.

The setting that breaks most Drive codes

If a Drive code opens a page asking people to request access or sign in, the code is fine. The file is not shared publicly. Check:

  • General access says Anyone with the link, not Restricted.
  • On a work or school account, it does not say only people in your organisation can open it. Your admin may block public sharing; ask them, or put the file on a website instead.
  • The file is not in someone else’s Drive that they might delete or stop sharing.

Test the way a stranger would: scan the code on a phone that is not signed in to Google, or open the link in a private browser window using mobile data.

Update the file and keep the code

This is the part most people do not know. A QR code can only open the link inside it, but Google Drive lets you change what that link shows.

  • Uploaded files like PDFs, images and Word files: right-click the file, choose File information, then Manage versions, and Upload new version. The file keeps its ID and its link, so your printed code opens the new version.
  • Google Docs, Sheets and Slides: every edit is saved to the same document, so the link and the code always show the latest version.

Do not delete the old file and upload a new one. That makes a new file with a new link, and the printed code will stop finding it. Drive may delete old versions after 30 days or once there are 100 newer ones, but the current version always stays.

That gives you the main benefit of a paid “dynamic” code, an editable destination, for free. The static vs dynamic guide explains the difference in more detail.

Good uses for a Drive code

  • Price lists, menus and brochures as a PDF that you update each season. For PDFs in general, see the PDF QR code guide.
  • Event photo folders that guests can open, or add to if you give them Editor access.
  • Course packs and handouts for a class, in one shared folder.
  • Instructions and manuals on equipment, so the latest version is always one scan away.
  • Portfolios on a business card or CV.

Size and printing

A Drive file link is about 80 characters, which makes a code 37 squares across at our default error correction. That scans well at 2.5 cm (1 in) or larger on paper. A shorter link makes a simpler code, so if you have your own website, linking to a page there and placing the file on that page gives you a smaller code and more control. The print size guide has sizes by distance.

The code itself never expires: it holds your Drive link directly, with no redirect in between. It works for as long as the file stays shared. More on that in do QR codes expire?

Questions people ask

Why does my Google Drive QR code say "You need access"?

The file's General access is set to Restricted, so only people you added by email can open it. Change it to Anyone with the link in the Share window. On work and school accounts, check that it does not say only people in your organisation.

Can I change the file without changing the QR code?

Yes, for uploaded files like PDFs and images. Right-click the file, open File information, then Manage versions, and upload the new version. It stays the same file, so the same link and code open the new version. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides keep their link whenever you edit them.

Should I link to a file or a folder?

A file opens straight to the content, which is best for a menu, flyer or form. A folder suits a set of documents, like a photo album or course pack, and you can add files to it later without a new code.

Does the code stop working if I delete the file?

Yes. The code holds the link to that exact file. If you delete it, or delete it and upload a fresh copy, the link changes and the code opens an error page. Use Manage versions instead.

Is a Drive link safe to share with a QR code?

Anyone who scans the code, or is sent the link, can open the file. Only share files that are fine to be public, and keep the role as Viewer so nobody can change them.

Do I need a paid dynamic QR code to update the file?

No. Drive's own Manage versions does that for free, and the code itself never expires because it holds your Drive link directly.