Free · No sign-up · Channels, videos and playlists

YouTube QR code generator

Send people from paper to video in one scan: a how-to on the packaging, a recipe on the menu or your channel on a poster. Type your @handle or paste any YouTube link.

1Enter your YouTube details

Your @handle, or paste any channel, video or playlist link.

2Customize colors

Presets

Error correction

Medium — still scans with ~15% damage.

4 is the recommended quiet zone.

How it works

How to make a YouTube QR code

  1. 1

    Choose what to open

    Your channel (@handle), a single video, a Short or a playlist. Copy the link from YouTube’s Share button.

  2. 2

    Paste it here

    Paste the link, or type @yourchannel. The preview updates as you type.

  3. 3

    Download and test

    Download the PNG or SVG and scan it to check the right video opens.

Generated entirely in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded.

Channel, video or playlist?

Link your channel (youtube.com/@yourhandle) to grow subscribers from posters, merch and business cards. Link a single video for instructions, recipes, product demos and trailers, where people need one specific thing. A playlist is great for a course or a series.

On phones with YouTube installed, the link opens in the app; otherwise in the browser. Shorts, live streams and unlisted videos work too: unlisted videos are viewable by anyone with the link.

Starting at a specific moment

Want the video to start at the right step? In YouTube’s Share menu, tick “Start at” before copying the link. The time is included in the link and therefore in the code.

Use cases

Where YouTube QR codes work well

  • Packaging and manuals

    Setup and assembly videos right where people need them.

  • Recipes and menus

    The video version of a recipe on the card or the box.

  • Products and repairs

    Troubleshooting videos that save support calls.

  • Teaching

    Worksheets and textbooks linking to explainer videos.

  • Fitness

    Exercise demos on gym equipment and workout cards.

  • Creators

    Merch, posters and business cards that grow your channel.

Best practices

Tips for a YouTube QR code

  • Say what the video is

    “Scan for the 2-minute setup video” sets expectations.

  • Use the share link

    YouTube’s Share → Copy link gives a short youtu.be link, which makes a simpler code.

  • Check it’s public or unlisted

    Private videos only play for people you invite.

  • Think about the next version

    If the video might be replaced, use a dynamic code so printed boxes stay current.

Static or dynamic?

Replacing the video later? Use a dynamic code

Products get updated and videos get re-shot. A static code always opens the same video, even after you delete it. A dynamic code can point to the new version in seconds, so printed packaging and manuals stay correct, and it shows how many people scanned.

  • Free static code for any YouTube link
  • Swap the video without reprinting
  • Scan analytics by day and location
Create a dynamic YouTube code See plans

FAQ

YouTube QR code questions

Yes. No sign-up, no watermark, and static codes never expire.

Yes. Paste any YouTube link: a video, a Short, a playlist or your channel. You can also type just your @handle.

Yes. In YouTube’s Share menu, tick “Start at” before copying the link; the start time is saved in the code.

Yes. Anyone with the link can watch an unlisted video, including people who scan your code. Private videos won’t play.

More free QR code generators

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