How to Make a Video QR Code

What do you need before you start?

You need 5 things ready, and no account to try the generator. A free account, or just your email, is asked for only at the download step.

• The video as an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. MOV and AVI files often download instead of playing.
• A host: Vimeo, Loom, Wistia, Google Drive, your website, or a QRJiffy upload (up to 25 MB).
• The share link, with the video set to public or unlisted.
• The running time, to print beside the code.
• A phone with WiFi switched off, to check loading speed on mobile data.

How do you make a Video QR code step by step?

Follow these 7 steps in the Video QR Code generator; the preview updates as you type. Each screenshot below is the real screen, filled in with a sample bakery’s details.

1. 1Export the video for phones and upload it

   Export the video as MP4 (H.264, AAC audio) at 720p. A 720p file is about 4 times smaller than 4K, with no visible loss on a phone screen, and it starts about 4 times sooner on 4G. Add captions, because viewers in shops, trains and offices start videos with the sound off.

   Upload the file to the host you use: Vimeo, Loom, Wistia, your own website, or Google Drive with sharing set to Anyone with the link. The generator also offers Upload a video, and QRJiffy hosts MP4 files up to 25 MB.

   Tip: Keep a demo under 90 seconds. People scan standing up, in an aisle or at a stand.

2. 2Copy a link that plays without a login

   Copy the video’s share link from the host. Two kinds of link work. A direct file link ending in .mp4 plays in the browser’s own player with no page around it. A page link, such as https://vimeo.com/123456789, opens that service’s mobile player.

   Open the link on a phone in a private window before going further. The video must play with no sign-in. An unlisted video plays for anyone holding the link, and a private one blocks everybody who is not an invited viewer.

3. 3Paste the link into the generator

   Open the video QR code generator and paste the address into Link to your video. The line beneath the field lists what it accepts: an MP4 file link, or a Vimeo, Loom, Wistia or Google Drive share link set to public. The code on the right updates the moment the link lands, and the Scannability bar below it shows “High”.

   

4. 4Tell viewers what they get and how long it runs

   Open the Frame tab and choose Label below or Call to action. Type the action and the length: “Scan to watch (1 min)”. A stated length gets more scans than a bare code, because nobody commits to a video of unknown duration while standing in a shop.

   Frame colour and Text colour match the label to your packaging. Open Advanced and set error correction to Q (25%) for a code that lives outdoors.

   

5. 5Download the file and keep the edit link

   Choose Download PNG for a screen or a desktop printer and SVG for packaging and large formats. The box that opens reads “Where should we send it?”. Enter an email, press Download now, and the browser saves a file named in the pattern qrjiffy-video-8ZSknKW.png. The seven characters are the code’s short link ID.

   

6. 6Open the code’s page to swap the video later

   The page now shows a short link such as qrjiffy.com/r/…. That address is what the printed pattern stores, and it forwards each scan to your video. Click Manage it in your dashboard.

   The dashboard page has the tabs Design, Destination, Analytics and Settings. When the product is updated and the demo is re-shot, paste the new video’s link under Destination. Boxes already on the shelf play the new video from the next scan. Analytics breaks scans down by day, device and country, and the video host adds its own view count.

   

7. 7Test on mobile data, then print

   Turn WiFi off on your phone and scan the code from the screen. Time how long the video takes to start: that is what a customer in a car park experiences. Phone browsers block autoplay with sound, so expect to tap play once.

   For a check of the file itself, drop the PNG into the QRJiffy QR code scanner. It lists the content as a “Website link”, with qrjiffy.com as the domain and the short link in full. Then print the code at 2 × 2 cm (0.8 in) or larger, with a white border of 4 dots.

   

Open the Video QR Code generatorFree. Nothing to install.

What happens when someone scans a video QR code?

• iPhone: Safari plays MP4 files in the full-screen player. Vimeo and Loom links open their mobile pages.
• Android: Chrome plays MP4 files inline. Vimeo and Drive links open the installed app, or the browser when there is none.
• Sound: videos with sound wait for one tap on play. Videos marked muted start on their own.

Is a YouTube link or an MP4 link better for a video QR code?

How long or large can the video be?

• QRJiffy upload: 25 MB per MP4.
• Google Drive: 15 GB of total storage.
• Vimeo Basic: 1 GB of storage.
• Loom Starter: videos up to 5 minutes.
• Your website: whatever your hosting plan allows.

Can you change the video without reprinting the code?

What mistakes stop a Video QR code from working?

These 5 mistakes cause most failed Video QR codes; each has a quick fix. Test the downloaded file with two different phones before you print anything.

Frequently asked questions