YouTube QR Code Generator
Paste a YouTube link and get a QR code that opens your video, Short, playlist or channel on any phone. Add your logo and colors, then download it as PNG, SVG or PDF. Free, no signup needed to download.
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Create a QR Code for YouTube Videos Examples
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What is a YouTube QR code?
A YouTube QR code is a QR code that contains a YouTube link. The link can point to one video, a YouTube Short, a playlist or a whole channel. When someone scans the code with a phone camera, YouTube opens and the video starts. Nobody has to type or search.
On most phones, a scan opens the YouTube app if it is installed. If it is not, the link opens in the phone’s browser. Either way the viewer lands on the right video. The code only holds the link, so the video plays on YouTube as usual.
How does a YouTube QR code work?
Open the video on YouTube and click Share, then Copy. For a channel or a playlist, copy the address from the address bar.
Paste the link into the field at the top of this page. Your QR code appears straight away.
Add a frame with a call to action such as “Scan to watch”, pick your colors and add your logo. Tick Edit later or Track scans if you want a dynamic code.
Scan the code with an iPhone and an Android phone from the distance people will really stand. Check that the right video opens and plays. Then download a PNG for screens, or SVG or PDF for print.
How to make a QR code for a YouTube video?
Sign into your YouTube account and choose the video you want to link to a QR code in YouTube Studio. If you haven’t uploaded your video yet, go through the uploading process on the platform.
When your video is published, click on the ‘Share’ button and copy the shareable link to your video.
Go to the free YouTube QR code generator on this page and paste the link into the URL field.
Customize your QR code and add your branding in the form of a logo or an icon. If you have a premium subscription, you can use additional features like design library and analytics.
After finalizing your design, save your QR code for the YouTube video in the needed format and download it by clicking the ‘Download QR code’ button on the right side of the page.
All done!
Why do I need a QR code for a YouTube video?
Some things are easier to show than to write. A QR code puts a video one scan away from where the person needs it: on a product box, in a manual, on a poster or on a screen at an event.
Typing a YouTube address on a phone is slow, and most people will not do it. Scanning takes a second. A QR code for YouTube also reaches people who are not on YouTube at that moment, such as a customer holding your product or a guest at your event.
Static or dynamic: which YouTube QR code do you need?
A static code is enough when the video will not change. A recipe card linked to one cooking video, or a manual for a product that stays the same, are good examples. Static codes are free to make and download.
Choose a dynamic code when the video might change. When you upload a new version of a video, it gets a new link, so a static code would still open the old one. With a dynamic code you change the destination in your Pageloot account and the printed code follows. This works for a tutorial that gets updated, a campaign video that changes each season, or a code on packaging that is already printed. A dynamic code also shows scans: when, where and on which device.
Dynamic codes need a Pageloot account and become inactive when a paid plan ends, except on the lifetime deal. Only choose one where you will keep the plan. Tick Edit later or Track scans above to start a free 14-day trial. The Starter plan is EUR 7 per month billed yearly, and the code NEW30 gives 30% off your first purchase. See the pricing page and static vs dynamic QR codes for details.
Frequently asked questions
They can be, when people are already looking at something physical with a phone in hand, such as a product box, a poster or a screen at an event. A scan is one tap from a view. A code that is hidden or has no reason to be scanned gets few scans. Say what the video is, for example “Scan to see how it works”. A dynamic code shows which placement gets scans.
Copy the link: click Share and Copy under a video, or copy the address of your channel from the address bar. Paste it into the YouTube QR code generator at the top of this page, add your logo or colors, and download the code. The same steps work for a Short, a playlist or a live stream.
Yes. You can add a frame with a call to action, change colors and shapes, and upload your logo. Downloading the code as PNG, SVG or PDF is free and does not need an account.
Use a dynamic code. Tick Track scans above to start a free 14-day trial. The dynamic code shows how many people scanned it, plus when, where and on which device. The level of detail depends on your plan.
Open the camera app on your iPhone or Android phone and point it at the code. Tap the link that appears. The YouTube app opens if it is installed, and if not, the video opens in your browser. If nothing appears, check that QR scanning is turned on in your camera settings, or use Google Lens.
Making and downloading a YouTube QR code is free. Editing the link later and scan statistics need a dynamic code. The Starter plan is EUR 7 per month billed yearly, and the code NEW30 gives 30% off your first purchase. See the pricing page for the other plans and the one-time lifetime deal.
Yes. Under the video, click Share, tick Start at, set the time and copy the link. Paste that link into the generator. The video starts at that point when someone scans the code. In the phone app, add ?t= and the number of seconds to the end of the link.
Not with a static code. With a dynamic QR code for YouTube you change the destination in your Pageloot account, and the printed code opens the new video. A playlist link is another option: you can add and remove videos in the playlist without changing the code.
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Where to use a QR code for a YouTube video? Examples
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Put a channel or showreel code on the back of a business card. A musician can link a flyer to the video of one song, and a freelancer can link to a one-minute intro. Add a call to action such as “Scan to watch” so people know what happens when they scan.
Print a code next to the setup step that people get stuck on, and link it to that moment in the video with Start at. Recipe cards and cookbooks work the same way, with one code per recipe. A playlist code on the box can hold every video for the product.
An agent can put a walkthrough video code on the yard sign or the listing flyer, so buyers can tour the home from the sidewalk. At an event, show a large code on a screen to share the live stream or the highlights video. Keep it on screen long enough for people to find their phones.
Teachers can add a code to a worksheet or a slide that links to a lesson or a demonstration. A museum can place one next to an exhibit. Use a playlist when students need several videos in order.
YouTube's own QR code and share options
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A channel QR code in the YouTube app
Recent versions of the YouTube app can show a QR code for your channel in the channel's share options. It is a plain code for the channel only. For a video, a playlist or a Short, or for a code with your logo and a print-ready file, use a link and a generator. -
The Share window
The Share window on a video is where you copy the link and set Start at. That link is what you paste into the generator.
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Chrome on a computer
Chrome can make a basic QR code for any page. Open the video, click the share icon in the address bar and choose Create QR code. It is fine for a quick test. It has no logo, frame or print-ready file, and you cannot change it later. -
Why a generator still helps
A generator gives you your colors and logo, a call to action frame and SVG or PDF files for sharp printing. A dynamic code adds the option to change the video later and see scans.
YouTube QR code not working? Check these first
Only accounts that the owner invited can watch a private video, so everyone else sees an error after scanning. In YouTube Studio, set the visibility to Unlisted (anyone with the link can watch, and it stays out of search) or to Public.
Age-restricted videos ask viewers to sign in and confirm their age, so people can get stopped at a sign-in screen after scanning. If the video is for a general audience, check the age restriction in YouTube Studio. If it has to stay restricted, say on the poster that a sign-in is needed.
An owner can block a video in some countries, and music or other copyrighted content can be blocked in some regions. Viewers there see a message that the video is not available. If your audience is in several countries, check Restrictions in YouTube Studio, or pick a different video.
A deleted video shows Video unavailable. The code still scans, but there is nothing at the end of it. A static code needs a new code and a reprint. A dynamic code only needs a new destination. Also check that the link was copied in full, including the whole video ID.
Links you can turn into a YouTube QR code
Open the video, click Share and copy the link. It looks like youtu.be/ followed by an ID. Use it for a tutorial, a trailer or a product demo.
In the Share window, tick Start at, set the minute and second, then copy the link. It ends in ?t= and a number of seconds, and the video starts at that point. If you do not see Start at, for example in the phone app, add ?t=90 to the link yourself, where 90 is the number of seconds. If the link already has a ?, use &t=90 instead.
Open the channel and copy the address from the address bar. It looks like youtube.com/@yourname. Scanners land on your channel page and can subscribe from there. Adding ?sub_confirmation=1 to the end of the link can show signed-in viewers a prompt to subscribe. Test it on your phone first.
Open the playlist and copy the address. It contains list= and an ID. A playlist can hold a whole course or every video for one product, and you can add videos later without changing the printed code.
Open the Short, tap Share and copy the link. It looks like youtube.com/shorts/ followed by an ID. On a phone it usually opens in the vertical Shorts player.
Use the link of the stream or premiere page. It stays the same before, during and after the broadcast, so one code works for the live event and for the recording afterward.
Learn more about YouTube QR codes
