UPI has made the QR code the standard way to get paid in India, from tea stalls to tutors and freelance designers. Your bank or payment app can give you a QR code, but sometimes you need your own: to print on an invoice, add to a menu card, put on a poster at an event, or show on a website. This guide explains how a UPI QR code works, how to create one for free with a fixed amount or an open amount, and how to use it safely.
What is inside a UPI QR code?
A UPI QR code is simply a payment link encoded as a picture. When someone scans it with Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM or any UPI app, the app reads a link in a standard format, for example:
upi://pay?pa=yourname@okbank&pn=Your%20Name&am=250&cu=INR&tn=Tuition%20fee
- pa – the payee address, your UPI ID (VPA), such as name@okhdfcbank or 98xxxxxx@ybl.
- pn – the payee name shown to the person paying.
- am – an optional amount. Leave it out to let the payer type any amount.
- cu – the currency, INR.
- tn – an optional note, such as an invoice number.
The QR code itself does not contain your bank account number or any secret. It only tells the payer's app where to send money. The payer still sees your name and confirms the payment with their own UPI PIN.
Create a UPI QR code step by step
- Find your UPI ID in your payment app, usually on the profile or "receive money" screen. Copy it exactly; a single wrong character sends money to the wrong place or fails.
- Open the QR Code Generator and choose the UPI type.
- Enter your UPI ID and the name you want payers to see. Use the name registered with your bank so it matches what the app displays.
- Optionally enter an amount and a note. A fixed amount is useful for a specific invoice, a monthly fee or a fixed-price item.
- Download the QR code as PNG for sharing or printing, or as SVG for designers who need it in high resolution.
- Test it. Scan the code with a different phone and check that the correct name appears. Make a ₹1 test payment to confirm it reaches your account.
The code is generated in your browser, so your UPI ID is not sent to our server.
Fixed amount or open amount?
| Use a fixed amount when… | Leave the amount open when… |
|---|---|
| Sending an invoice for a specific bill | Printing a counter sticker for a shop |
| Collecting a fixed event or tuition fee | Accepting donations or tips |
| Selling an item with one price | Customers buy different amounts |
Adding the invoice number in the note helps you match payments later in your bank statement. If you need to analyse those payments, see how to convert bank statements to Excel.
Printing and displaying your QR code
- Size: print the code at least 4–5 cm wide for a counter. For posters seen from a distance, make it larger.
- Contrast: keep a dark code on a white background with a white margin (the "quiet zone") around it. Coloured or low-contrast codes are harder to scan.
- Add text: print your business name and "Pay with any UPI app" under the code so customers know what it is and whom they are paying.
- Lamination: laminate counter stickers to prevent smudging and damage.
- On invoices: place the QR code near the total, with the amount repeated in text. Add it to a PDF invoice with Edit PDF, or convert a design to PDF with JPG to PDF.
Safety tips for merchants and freelancers
- Check your stickers regularly. A known fraud is replacing a shop's QR sticker with another one. Look at your printed codes from time to time, and display them where staff can see them.
- Remember: receiving money never needs a PIN. If someone sends you a QR code and asks you to scan it "to receive money", that is a scam. Scanning a QR code and entering your PIN always sends money.
- Confirm payments in your bank app, not from a screenshot shown by the customer. Fake payment screenshots are common.
- Keep business and personal UPI IDs separate if your volume grows, which makes accounting and tax filing simpler.
Personal QR versus merchant QR
A QR code made from your personal UPI ID works for small amounts and personal use. Banks and payment apps also offer merchant QR codes with features such as payment sound boxes, settlement reports and higher limits. If you run a regular business, ask your bank about a merchant account; it may also be expected for GST compliance. A self-made QR is ideal for freelancers, tutors, event organisers, housing societies and small sellers.
Other useful QR codes
The same QR Code Generator makes codes for website links, Wi-Fi passwords for guests, phone numbers, email addresses, SMS and vCard contact cards. A Wi-Fi QR code next to your counter saves you from spelling out the password, and a vCard QR on a visiting card lets clients save your number in one scan. For product labels, the Barcode Generator creates standard barcodes.
Common questions
Does the QR code expire?
No. A static QR code works as long as the UPI ID remains active. If you change banks or UPI ID, make a new code.
Can I add my logo in the middle?
QR codes have error correction that tolerates a small logo, but it reduces reliability. If you add one, keep it small and always test scanning with several apps.
Want to send a signed quotation with your QR code? See how to sign a PDF online.
Try it now: QR Code Generator is free to start and works on mobile and desktop.
Open QR Code Generator