How to Make a QR Code for a Google Review Link

You want customers to scan something at your counter and land on your Google review box. Here is how to make a QR code for a Google review link: copy your review link from your Google Business Profile, paste it into a QR code generator, download the image, test it with your phone, and print it. The whole job takes about five minutes.

The details are where people go wrong. A code printed too small will not scan. A link that points to the wrong place sends reviews nowhere. And one common "incentive" can get your reviews removed. This guide covers each step, plus the mistakes to skip.

What you need before you start

A Google Business Profile that you manage. If you do not have one yet, set that up first, because there is nothing for customers to review without it.
A computer. Google says the built-in QR code can only be generated from a computer browser, not from a mobile device.
A phone to test the finished code.
A place to put the code: a receipt, a counter card, a window sticker, a table tent, a business card.

Step 1: Get your Google review link

Google gives you the link inside your Business Profile. According to Google's help page for review links and QR codes, the path is short:

Go to business.google.com and sign in with the account that manages your profile.
Select Read Reviews.
Select Get more reviews (the share icon).
Click the copy icon to copy your review link.

Google shows a QR code on that same screen. If you right-click it and choose Save image as, you already have a working code. For many shops, that is enough.

Menu names change now and then. If your screen does not match, search the Business Profile help center for "review link" and follow the current steps.

Step 2: Turn the link into a QR code

Why would you make your own when Google offers one? Three reasons come up often. You may want a different color or a bigger file for print. You may want an SVG, which stays sharp at any size. Or you may want a short link in the middle so you can see how many people use it.

Here is how to do it with the free Freeurl QR code generator:

Open the generator and stay on the Link or text tab.
Paste your Google review link into the box.
Leave Code color dark and Background light. Dark on light scans best.
Set Error correction to Medium, which the page marks as recommended. Pick High if the code will sit on a sticker that may get scuffed.
Choose a Download size. Print (2048 px) is the safe pick for anything you will print.
Click Download PNG for everyday use, or Download SVG if a print shop asked for a vector file.

The generator does not ask you to sign up, and the download has no watermark. Your text is not uploaded unless you press the shorten button.

Should you shorten the review link first?

Review links can be long. A long link packs more squares into the code, and denser codes are harder to scan from a distance. A short link makes a simpler code.

The generator has a Shorten the address first button for this. If you also create the link in Freeurl with a free account, you get a stats page with click counts, including country and device. You can also change where the link points later. Our guide on how to shorten a URL for free walks through that part.

There is a trade-off, and you should know it before you print 500 cards. If the code points to a Freeurl short link, your printed code depends on that link staying active. Freeurl keeps a link working until you pause it or set an expiry, so do not pause it or put an end date on it. Google's own QR code points straight to Google, so it has no middleman to break. If you want zero dependencies, use Google's code. If you want stats or a changeable destination, use a short link and leave it alone.

Also be clear on what the stats mean. They count clicks on the short link. They do not count completed reviews. Someone can scan, look, and leave without posting. Compare your click count with the new reviews showing up in your profile to get a rough sense of how many scans turn into reviews.

Step 3: Test the code before you print

Do this every time. It costs one minute and saves a box of wasted cards.

Open your phone camera and point it at the code on your screen.
Tap the link that appears. Confirm it opens the review box for your business, not a search page or someone else's listing.
Check that you are asked to sign in. Customers must be signed in to a Google Account to post a review, and Google notes they can create one with a non-Gmail email address.
Print one copy at the real size. Scan the paper copy from about the distance a customer will stand.
Try a second phone, ideally one of a different brand or age.

If you test on Wi-Fi only, also try it on mobile data. Customers will often be on data.

What size and placement work best

Freeurl's QR page recommends a minimum width of 2 cm, about 0.8 inch, and a dark code on a light background. Treat that as the floor, not the goal. A code on a counter card should be closer to 3 to 4 cm, and a code on a window or a wall poster should be larger still because people scan from farther away.

A few practical rules:

Keep the quiet border. That is the blank margin around the code. The generator offers Small, Normal and Large. Normal is fine for most uses. Choose Large if the code sits near busy artwork.
Do not stretch the image. Keep it square.
Do not put it over a photo or a pattern.
Do not put a glossy laminate right over it under bright lights. Glare can stop a scan.
Add a short line next to the code, such as "Scan to leave us a Google review." People ignore codes they do not understand.

Where to put your review QR code

Put it where a happy customer has a free moment and a phone in hand. Google itself suggests receipts, thank-you emails, the end of chat conversations, and printed material in your store. Some places that work well:

At the register or front desk. A small stand-up card is easy to read while someone waits for a receipt.
On the receipt or invoice. The customer can scan it later, at home.
On a leave-behind card. This suits plumbers, cleaners, photographers and other mobile businesses. Hand it over at the end of the job.
In a thank-you email. Here you do not need a QR code at all. Use the plain link, because a person reading email on a phone cannot scan their own screen.

That last point is worth repeating. A QR code is for the physical world. On a screen, use a link.

What you must not do: pay for reviews or filter who can post

Google's review guidance is plain. Offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited. That covers asking people to post, change or remove a review for a reward. So "scan and get 10% off" is a bad idea, even if it feels harmless.

Reviews must also reflect a real experience. Ask everyone, not only the people you think are happy. Google notes that a mix of positive and negative feedback often seems more trustworthy to shoppers. A QR code that goes straight to the Google review box asks everyone the same way, which is the honest approach.

Keep the wording neutral. "Tell us how we did" is better than "Give us 5 stars."

Is a custom QR code better than the one Google gives you?

Not always. Here is a fair comparison.

Option	Good for	Watch out for
Google's built-in QR code	Simple setups, no extra accounts, no middleman	Only made from a computer browser; you choose the look less than in a generator
Review link pasted into a QR generator	Custom colors, SVG for print, bigger files	Long links make dense codes; no stats on the code itself
Short link plus QR code	Simpler code, click counts, changeable destination	The printed code depends on the short link staying active

If you run a single location and print one card, Google's own code is a good choice. If you have several locations, print for events, or want to know whether the card at the front desk beats the one on the invoice, create one short link per placement and compare clicks.

A worked example

Say you run a dog-grooming shop called Happy Paws. You want one code on the counter and one on the pickup receipt.

You sign in at business.google.com, open Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link.
In Freeurl, you make two short links to that same review link, one named for the counter and one for the receipt. Both go to the same review box.
You open the QR code generator, paste the first short link, pick High error correction because the counter card will be handled a lot, and download the 2048 px PNG.
You repeat for the receipt link.
You test both codes on two phones, print the counter card at 4 cm wide, and add the line "Scan to leave a Google review."
Two weeks later, you look at the click counts. If the counter code has 40 clicks and the receipt code has 6, you know where to put your effort.

The numbers here are made up to show the idea. Your own counts will depend on your traffic. What matters is that you now have something to compare. To keep track of links like these, see how to create a branded short link.

Common problems and quick fixes

The code will not scan

Check size first. Then check contrast, quiet border and glare. Make sure you downloaded a high-resolution file rather than a screenshot. If the link is very long, shorten it and rebuild the code.

It opens a search results page, not the review box

You likely copied a link to your listing instead of the review link. Go back to Get more reviews in your Business Profile and copy the link from there.

Customers say they cannot post

They must be signed in to a Google Account. Tell staff to mention this, and keep your wording simple.

Your reviews disappeared

Google can remove reviews that break its policies. A reward for posting is one cause. If you think good reviews were removed by mistake, use the support options in your Business Profile.

Someone else could change a code I printed

A printed QR code is only a picture of text. It cannot be edited. But if it points to a short link, whoever controls that link can change its destination. That is why you should understand how short links work before printing, and why you should only point codes to links you control.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a QR code for my Google review link for free?

Yes. Google's Business Profile shows a QR code you can save at no cost, and the Freeurl QR code generator is free with no sign-up or watermark. Both give you an image you can print.

Where do I find my Google review link?

Sign in at business.google.com on a computer, select Read Reviews, then select Get more reviews (the share icon). Click the copy icon to copy your review link. Menu names can change, so check Google's current help page if your screen looks different.

Can I offer a discount for scanning the code and leaving a review?

No. Google says offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited. Ask every customer the same way and keep your wording neutral.

How big should a review QR code be?

Freeurl's QR page suggests at least 2 cm (about 0.8 inch) wide, dark on a light background. For a counter card, 3 to 4 cm is more comfortable. Always print one copy and scan it with a phone before printing a batch.