How to create QR Code in Illustrator

[Torten Mike]

I'm working on a project. I would like to insert a QR code. Is there a way to generate it in illustrator?

[Michael Ambroise]

You cannot create the QR code directly in Illustrator, but you can generate it in Adobe Indesign.

[Michael Ambroise · Accepted solution]

You can generate it in Indesign and import it into your project on Illustrator as a vector.
To do this in Indesign, go to Object > Generate Code.

[Torten Mike]

@Michael Ambroise , thank you very much!

[Michael Ambroise]

You're welcome!

[Claudia_Castillo1303]

Excellent, thanks a lot!

[Bobby Henderson]

Another alternative: the QR Code generator in Adobe Express:
https://new.express.adobe.com/tools/generate-qr-code

It will let you download a SVG version of the code that can be placed in Illustrator.

[Monika Gause]

These codes need to be cleaned up. Here's how: https://youtu.be/KQUrluJ5CU4 

[Bobby Henderson]

I don't understand why Express is generating SVG files of QR Codes in that manner. Thankfully the clean-up process doesn't take long, but such a thing shouldn't be necessary either.

Astute Graphics' Vector First Aid plugin isn't of much help cleaning up those QR Codes. Strangely, it sees no issues with the QR Code art when the SVG file is initially placed, even though the artwork is invisible. If the clipping groups are released Vector First Aid will see a bunch of unfilled and unpainted paths it wants to delete. That would delete all the QR Code data spots. So the QR Code artwork has to be cleaned-up manually. On the bright side, Vector First Aid can quickly delete the unnecessary anchor points after the QR Code data tiles are welded together using the Unite command.

The QR Code generator in Adobe InDesign is pretty basic, but the exported artwork is more clean than the code artwork from Adobe Express.

CorelDRAW has a built-in QR Code/Barcode generator. The QR Code feature has a lot of useful settings. The codes can be one of 8 message types (including Web URL). The QR Code pixels can be changed from squares into circles, diamonds or stars (other custom shapes can be applied to the data spots using CorelDRAW's Pointillizer filter). If squares are used they can be welded automatically. There is a corner roundness setting for squares. There are four error correction levels that can be used to generate codes (low, medium, quartile and high). There is a code validation feature. Logos/icons can be placed in the middle of the QR Code artwork. No clipping masks/groups are generated in the code artwork. If Adobe does incorporate a QR Code generator into Illustrator it should emulate or even improve what Corel did with its QR Code generator.

[Monika Gause]

---

@Bobby Henderson  schrieb:

I don't understand why Express is generating SVG files of QR Codes in that manner.

---

Me neither. It's insane. 

[Michael Ambroise]

The QR Code generator in Adobe InDesign is pretty basic, but the exported artwork is more clean than the code artwork from Adobe Express.

By @Bobby Henderson

You're right, and that's why I always use InDesign to generate QR codes. Just copy and paste into Illustrator and you're done.

[Mike_Gondek]

You can also right-click in Google Chrome on any page and choose

[Bobby Henderson]

The QR Code feature in Chrome can be convenient for some users. I just don't like the visual style of those codes. They download as PNG images; a vector format like SVG doesn't appear to be an option.

[Michael Ambroise]

It can only be used for web hyperlinks, but in Indesign besides hyperlinks there are other options such as: "Plain text, Email, Business card, Text message"

[Bobby Henderson]

I think the QR Code generator in CorelDRAW has the most features out of any in-application code creator. It can generate 8 QR Code message types: URL, email address, phone number, SMS, contact info, calendar event, geo location and plain text. Its barcode creator covers 18 barcode formats. CorelDRAW various flaws, but the code creator feature is nice.

[Michael Ambroise]

I agree with you. Hopefully, in future updates, Adobe Illustrator will continue to evolve by offering equally or even more impressive features in the area of code creation.

[Lucky Onion]

Hi! Do you know how to generate a QR code with a logo in the middle?

[Bobby Henderson]

The QR code generators I've seen that allow icons, logos or whatever to be placed in the middle merely lay the graphical object over some data spots in the center. That's the case for the QR code generator built into CorelDRAW. The error correction built into the code is able to factor in the data spots hidden by the graphical item.

I haven't tried manually center-aligning small logos or icons in the middle of QR codes created in either InDesign or Adobe Express. Results could be hit or miss depending on the kind of error correction (or lack thereof) included in the code.

[Elisabeth M]

I tried adding a logo to the center of a code generated in InDesign, and it worked on my phone but did not work on my client's phone.

[Bobby Henderson]

The logo might need to be reduced in size to show more data spots. It might also help to have the logo centered on a solid white square that covers an even amount of the data spots. Don't want any partial spots showing.

[Elisabeth M]

Thanks, that may have been the issue. I just wish there was an adobe product that did this well, it seems like something we should have had 5 years ago.