YouTube QR code for a channel, video or playlist
Make a YouTube QR code that opens your channel, one video, a playlist or a moment inside a video when scanned from a flyer, a manual or a slide. The code holds the plain link, so it is static, never expires and passes through no third-party server. It is free with no sign-up, made entirely in your browser, and verified by a real scanner before you download it.
Content: YouTube channel or video link
Paste a channel handle link (youtube.com/@name) or a video link (youtu.be/…).
Style
PNG, JPG or SVG up to 2 MB. It stays on your device.
Your codes on this device
Off by default. When on, each downloaded code (type, content, style) is saved in this browser only, never uploaded. You can delete them at any time.
How to make a YouTube QR code
- For your channel, use the handle link: youtube.com/@yourhandle. Find the handle under your channel name, or in YouTube Studio under Customisation, then Basic info.
- For one video, open it and press Share, then Copy; you get a short youtu.be/ID link. Tick 'Start at' in the share dialog to add a timestamp, which appends ?t= and the number of seconds.
- For a playlist, open the playlist page and copy the address from the browser bar; it contains list= followed by the playlist ID.
- Paste the address into YouTube channel or video link and press Test link. An unlisted video opens for anyone with the link; a private one does not.
- Wait for Verified: scans as URL, then Download PNG for slides and screens or Download PDF at the printed size.
YouTube QR code details
The code encodes one YouTube address. A phone camera reads it, shows the link and opens it; YouTube then plays the video or shows the channel in the app or the browser. Nothing is downloaded and nothing is tracked by the code itself.
The four kinds of link
A channel handle link looks like https://youtube.com/@yourhandle and is about 30 characters, which fits a 29 × 29 module code at error correction M. A video share link, https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ, is 28 characters and fits the same size. A playlist address, https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL…, is around 70 characters and needs a 37 × 37 code. Adding a timestamp such as ?t=90 costs five characters and starts the video at that second, which is useful in manuals that point to one step of a longer tutorial. Whatever you paste, remove sharing parameters such as si=; they only lengthen the link.
Choosing the destination
Link the channel on business cards, packaging and anything that stays in use. Link a video or a playlist on material tied to that content: an assembly guide, a course handout, a launch poster, a slide at the end of a talk. Playlists have the advantage that you can add or replace videos later while the printed code stays the same.
Common mistakes
- Linking a video you may delete or make private. The code then leads to an error page; unlisted is fine, private is not.
- Copying the watch page address with extra parameters. Use the short link from the Share button.
- Tiny codes on slides. A code shown on a screen 5 m away needs to be 50 cm wide; give it a slide of its own.
Check the printed proof with the QR code reader to confirm the decoded address, including any timestamp.
This code never expires
The code stores the YouTube address as text, so it keeps working for as long as the channel, video or playlist stays up. This is a static QR code: the data is written into the pattern, so scanning it needs no server, no account and no subscription. There is nothing to renew and no redirect that can be switched off, which is why a code made here keeps working for as long as the printed copy exists. The trade-off is honest: a static code cannot be edited after printing and does not count scans. If you need either, encode a link to a page you control. Read how static and dynamic codes differ, and if a code you already have has stopped working, see why QR codes expire.
Styling, formats and print size
Every code can be styled in the Style panel: six dot shapes, corner shapes, solid or gradient colours, a transparent background, a quiet zone of 0–8 modules, and your own logo up to 30 percent of the width. A contrast checker warns below 3:1 and blocks downloads below 1.5:1, and after each change the preview is decoded again so the badge tells you whether the styled code still scans.
| Output | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Web, documents, quick prints | 256 to 4096 px; transparent background supported |
| SVG | Designers and print shops | Vector, scales without limit; logo embedded |
| Printing at an exact size | Vector modules at a chosen width in mm or inches, optional caption | |
| JPG | Platforms that reject PNG | White background; no transparency |
| EPS | Legacy print workflows | Vector from the module matrix, no logo |
| Copy / Print | Pasting into a document; a quick paper test | PNG to the clipboard; print view with caption |
Print size: as a rule of thumb the code should be at least one tenth of the scanning distance wide, with the quiet zone included.
| Scan distance | Minimum width |
|---|---|
| 0.5 m (arm's length) | 5 cm |
| 1 m | 10 cm |
| 2 m | 20 cm |
| 5 m | 50 cm |
A manual or flyer scanned from 30 cm needs 3 cm; a slide viewed from the back of a room at 5 m needs 50 cm on screen, so give it a slide of its own.
The QR code size guide has a calculator for module size, DPI and distance.
Frequently asked questions
Does a YouTube QR code expire?
No. The code contains the youtube.com or youtu.be address as plain text and the phone opens it directly. Nothing in between can lapse. It stops working only if the video is deleted or made private, or the channel handle changes, so link the channel on anything that will stay in circulation for years.
Channel link or video link?
A channel handle link, youtube.com/@name, is short and keeps working as your content changes. A video link, youtu.be/ID, is right for a manual, a tutorial card or a launch poster tied to one video. Playlists suit a course or a product range, and you can add videos to the playlist later without touching the code.
Can the code start the video at a certain time?
Yes. Tick 'Start at' in YouTube's share dialog, or add ?t= and the number of seconds to the link yourself, for example youtu.be/ID?t=90 for one minute thirty. The phone opens the video at that point. It adds only a few characters, so the code barely grows.
Will it open the YouTube app?
The phone shows the link and opens it; on most phones YouTube then plays it in the app if installed, otherwise in the browser. Autoplay is not guaranteed: some phones wait for a tap before playing video with sound. The code contains only the address and cannot change that behaviour.
Does an unlisted video work with a QR code?
Yes. Unlisted videos open for anyone who has the link, which is exactly what a scan provides, without appearing in search or on your channel. Private videos do not open for viewers who are not signed in and allowed. Test the link signed out before printing.
Related
Last updated . QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED. Open-source engines are listed on the how it works page.