Technical Specifications
- Uri Format
- https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=… (Google Maps URLs)
- Compatibility
- Google Maps app on Android and iPhone, or any web browser
Standard Industry Use Cases
- Storefront window decals and retail shopping center directories
- Wedding venues, conference hall entrances, and festival grounds
- Real estate open house directional signs
How to Make, Print & Test Your Maps QR Code
Step by step
- Type your place name or address, for example "Blue Door Café, 12 High Street, Leeds". Search for it in Google Maps first and copy the wording that finds the right result.
- For a spot with no address (an event entrance, a car park, a trailhead), fill in latitude and longitude instead. In Google Maps, long-press the exact spot (right-click on a computer) and copy the numbers shown.
- Coordinates are used if both are filled in; otherwise the place name or address is searched.
- Scan the preview with your phone and check that Google Maps opens the right place.
- Download SVG or PNG for flyers, signs and business cards.
Printing & size
- Size: at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide for flyers and cards read up close; for a door or window sign read from 1–2 metres away, about 10–20 cm (4–8 in). This follows a common rule of thumb, not part of the QR standard: make the code at least a tenth of the scanning distance. Test-scan at the real distance before printing.
- Add a line of text such as "Scan for directions" and the address, so people know what the code does and can still find you without scanning.
- Keep the white border around the code, and print dark on light.
Common mistakes
- A vague place name that matches several places ("Main Street Café"). Add the street and town, or use coordinates.
- Coordinates in the wrong order. Latitude comes first (north–south, −90 to 90), then longitude (east–west, −180 to 180).
- Pinning the middle of a big site instead of the visitor entrance.
- Not test-scanning on both iPhone and Android before printing.
Key Benefits of Maps QR
Opens Straight in Google Maps
One scan opens the place in the Google Maps app (or the browser), where visitors tap Directions to get there.
Exact Geographic Coordinates
Pinpoint precise GPS latitude and longitude coordinates even in remote or rural locations.
Zero Navigation Address Typos
Prevents visitors from getting lost due to similar street names or postal code ambiguities.
What Code Do I Need for My Product? (Customer Decision Guide)
Choosing the right barcode format depends on where your product is sold, the packaging substrate, and scanner infrastructure:
Retail storefronts, restaurants, and tourist attractions?
Place location QR codes on flyers, business cards, and brochures to guide visitors directly to your door.
Festivals, outdoor weddings, and remote trade show venues?
Use exact latitude/longitude coordinates to pin event entrances without registered street addresses.
Location QR Accuracy & Navigation Guidelines
- Scan the printed code on an iPhone and an Android phone before printing in volume, and check it opens the right place.
- Point coordinates at the public visitor entrance rather than a private loading dock or the middle of a large building.
- Uses Google's documented Maps URL format, which needs no API key and opens in the Google Maps app or any web browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use latitude and longitude coordinates instead of an address?
Yes. Coordinates pin an exact spot even where there is no street address, such as a car park entrance or a field gate. If you fill them in, they are used instead of the place name.
Does the QR code open Google Maps or Apple Maps?
Google Maps. If the Google Maps app is installed it opens there; otherwise the place opens in the phone's web browser on Google Maps. It does not open Apple Maps or Waze.
I already have a Google Maps share link. Can I use that?
Yes. In Google Maps, tap Share and copy the link, then make a Website link QR code with it. That opens the exact place you shared, including its name and reviews.
Will the QR code still work if my business moves?
It keeps pointing to the old place, because the location is stored in the code itself. Make and print a new code after a move.