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Location QR Code Generator

Location QR that opens in any map app

Type latitude, longitude and an optional pin label. The generator encodes an RFC 5870 `geo:` URI, the universal location URI that Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze and Organic Maps all parse. Vendor-locked Google Maps URLs are a fallback, not the default.

Scan for directions

What to encode

Style

Frame

  • Files never leave your device
  • Runs in your browser
  • Free, no signup

How it works

  1. 1

    Paste coordinates

    Decimal degrees from Google Maps (right-click) or Apple Maps (drop pin, share).

  2. 2

    Add a pin label

    Optional. Google Maps shows it in the popup; Apple Maps uses it as the place name.

  3. 3

    Download PNG or SVG

    PNG for digital, SVG for print. Scans open the user's default map app on the pin.

What this location QR generator does

Real geo: URI

RFC 5870 standard. Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Organic Maps, OsmAnd all parse it. No vendor lock-in.

Labelled pin

Add the venue name. Map apps show the label so the pin is named, not a bare dot.

Encoded payload visible

We show the exact `geo:LAT,LNG?q=...(Label)` string so you can verify before printing.

Where this helps

Retail

Storefront signs

Yard sign QR for walk-by directions. Scan, map app opens, navigation one tap away.

Events

Event venues

Invitation card with QR for the entrance pin. Guests find door-level precision without searching.

Property

Real-estate listings

Yard sign QR pinned to the property. Prospective buyers see the location before they call.

Outdoor

Trail markers and field guides

QR plates at trailheads. Works on every platform including offline-first apps.

Office

Conference rooms in big offices

Map QR at lobby reception with the room pinned. Visitors navigate without asking.

Personal

Wedding and party invites

Venue QR on the card. Guests see the pin instead of typing an unfamiliar address.

Tips that help

  • 1

    Read the payload before printing

    Latitude first, longitude second. Swapping them lands the pin in the wrong hemisphere.

  • 2

    Pin the door, not the address

    Drop a pin on the actual entrance and copy those coordinates. Address geocoding often lands on the parking lot.

  • 3

    Test on iOS and Android

    Apple Maps and Google Maps both render `geo:` but the popup differs. Quick scan on each catches surprises.

  • 4

    Pair with a printed address as fallback

    QR for fast, address for older phones. Belt-and-braces.

How the geo: URI works in practice

RFC 5870 defines `geo:` as a URI scheme that locates a point on Earth. Every modern map app parses it and centres the view on the coordinates. The QR holds the URI as plain text; the user's OS routes the scan to whatever map app they have set as default.

The geo: payload format

Basic form: `geo:28.6139,77.2090`. The two decimal numbers are latitude and longitude in WGS-84, the standard datum for GPS. Latitude first, longitude second.

Location QR that opens in any map app

Labelled form: `geo:28.6139,77.2090?q=28.6139,77.2090(Storefront)`. The `?q=` parameter repeats the coordinates and adds a label in parentheses. Google Maps shows the label in the pin popup; Apple Maps uses it as the place name.

Optional precision: append `;crs=wgs84;u=10` to declare the coordinate reference system and uncertainty radius in metres. Most map apps ignore these; safe to leave out.

Where the location QR earns its place

Storefront signs: A4 poster with QR plus printed address. Visitors scan, the map app opens with directions one tap away.

Event venues: invitation card with QR for the entrance pin and address printed underneath. Guests get door-level precision without typing the address into search.

Real-estate listings: yard signs with QR pinned to the property. Prospective buyers scan and the listing pin opens in their map app, no listing-URL friction.

Trail markers and field guides: QR plates at trailheads pin the carpark or summit. Works on Android, iOS, and dedicated GPS apps like Organic Maps.

Coordinates vs Maps URL: tradeoffs

Coordinates with `geo:` are universal. Every map app on every platform opens them. The cost is the user sees a pin instead of a business profile with photos and hours.

Google Maps URL (`https://maps.google.com/maps/place/...`) shows the rich business listing. The cost is the URL routes to Google Maps only; a user with Apple Maps as default falls back to a web view.

Read more

For storefronts and stable businesses, the Google URL with rich profile is usually better. For events, venues and field locations without a business profile, `geo:` is the right call.

Verification before printing

Read the encoded payload above the preview. Confirm latitude, longitude and label match your intent. The most common mistake is swapped lat/lng.

Scan with your phone first. The pin should land on the building, not the road or the parking lot two doors down. If it is off, drop a fresh pin on the actual entrance in your map app and re-copy the coordinates.

Test on a different OS. An iPhone-only test misses Google Maps quirks; an Android-only test misses Apple Maps quirks.

Frequently asked questions

Honest answers to what people ask before using this tool.

A `geo:` URI per RFC 5870, in the form `geo:LAT,LNG?q=LAT,LNG(Label)`. Scans open the user's default map app (Apple Maps on iOS, Google Maps on Android) centred on the coordinates with the pin labelled.

Maps share URLs are tied to one platform. A `geo:` URI opens any map app the user has set as default; Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Organic Maps, OsmAnd all parse it. Universal works better than vendor-locked for a printed QR.

On Google Maps, right-click the pin and the first menu entry copies the coordinates. On Apple Maps, drop a pin and tap Share, then Coordinates. The format is decimal degrees: `28.6139, 77.2090` for New Delhi.

Yes, indirectly. Plus Codes resolve to coordinates; use Google's converter (plus.codes) to get the decimal pair and paste them in. We display the underlying `geo:` URI in the payload readout so you can verify.

RFC 5870 allows the precision you provide. Six decimal places (1 metre) is plenty for a storefront; four (10 metres) is fine for a venue; two (1 kilometre) only works for vague directions. We do not round; what you type is what we encode.

Yes on most map apps. Google Maps shows the label in the pin popup; Apple Maps shows it as the place name. Older Android browsers strip the `?q=` component, falling back to a labelless pin.

Not in a `geo:` URI directly. For address-only QRs, encode a Google Maps URL (`https://www.google.com/maps/search/?q=...&api=1`) using the URL tab. The drawback is platform lock-in. For a printed sign at a small business, coordinates with a label is more universal.

The QR scan and the URI parse happen offline. The map app's render needs cached tiles or network. Apple Maps and Google Maps both keep a recent tile cache, so a scan in a known area opens immediately.

Two common reasons. Latitude and longitude swapped (`77.2090, 28.6139` lands in the ocean, not New Delhi). Or the coordinates use compass notation (N/S/E/W) instead of signed decimals. The payload readout shows what is encoded.

Same exposure as printing the address. A storefront QR sharing the storefront is fine; a home QR sharing the home is not. Use a venue-only label for events and meetups so the pin lands at the entrance, not the host's home.

Further reading

Independent references if you want to go deeper on the formats and tradeoffs.

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