Two ways to encode a location
There are two formats for location QRs and they behave differently:
Geo URI (geo:lat,lng). The most universal — works on any phone that supports the geo: scheme. Opens the user's default maps app (Google Maps on Android, Apple Maps on iOS) and drops a pin at the coordinates. No business name, no review snippets, just the pin.
Google Maps URL (https://maps.google.com/?q=... or a place URL). More features — shows your business name, photos, reviews, and a one-tap "Directions" button. Limited to Google Maps as the destination.
For a business, use the Google Maps URL — it surfaces your branding and reviews. For a private location (event venue, friend's house, a wilderness meet-up point), geo URI is best.
Best uses
- Wedding invitations. Scan to navigate to the venue. Print on the back of the RSVP card.
- Restaurant menus and storefronts. "Scan to find us" — for first-time customers in unfamiliar cities.
- Trade show booths. Scan to navigate from the convention entrance to your booth.
- Hiking trailheads. Scan to get the GPS coordinates of a viewpoint or shelter.
- Real estate yard signs. Drive-by buyers navigate to the property in one tap.
- Tourist signage. "You are here" with a QR to a walking-tour map.
Make sure the pin is in the right place
For Google Maps URLs pointing at your business: claim and verify your Google Business Profile first. Otherwise the pin may be in the wrong spot, and editing it without verification is impossible.
For geo URI: use Google Maps or Apple Maps to right-click → "What's here?" and copy the coordinates. Decimal degrees, six places after the dot. Don't type coordinates by hand — small errors put the pin in the wrong building or the wrong block.
Pair with directions for events
For multi-day events (weddings, conferences) the venue is one location but the parking, dinner, and after-party are often elsewhere. Print multiple location QRs — one per destination — on a single invitation card. Guests scan only the one they need, navigation is one tap, no group-chat directions disasters.
How to make a location QR code in 4 steps
Get the right coordinates or place URL
For a business: copy the Google Maps place URL. For a private spot: right-click on Google Maps → 'What's here?' and copy the lat/lng decimal coordinates.
Pick Location type on QRolling
On the home page, choose Location/Geo. Paste either the place URL or the lat/lng. Test the URL in a phone browser first.
Brand the QR
Add your logo or a map-pin glyph, pick brand colors, choose corner shape. Keep error correction High when a logo is in the middle.
Print and test from a phone outside the building
SVG for print, PNG for digital. Test the scan from outside — confirm the pin lands on the right entrance, not the parking lot.
Frequently asked
Will it open Google Maps or Apple Maps?
Depends on the format. A geo: URI opens whichever maps app the user has set as default (Apple Maps on iOS, Google Maps on Android by default). A maps.google.com URL always opens Google Maps.
Can I include the business name and details?
Yes — use a Google Maps place URL instead of plain coordinates. The page shows business name, hours, reviews, and a Directions button.
Does the scanner need internet?
Yes for the maps app to load tiles and route directions. The QR itself is just an offline-encoded URL or coordinate pair.
Can I change the location later?
Yes. The code is dynamic, so a move means editing the destination rather than reprinting the signage. A static code encodes the URL or coordinates directly and stays pointed at the old address.
What's the right number of decimal places for coordinates?
Six decimal places (e.g. 40.748817, -73.985428) is precise to about 10cm — more than enough for navigation. Three places (~110m) is enough for getting to the right building.
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Need a different QR type? Browse all 48 QR types on the home page.