How to make a location QR code that opens a map

What a location QR code does

A location QR code opens a map on the phone that scans it. The person sees the pin and can start navigation with one tap. It is useful for shop and office entrances, event venues, meeting points, trailheads, parking spots, real-estate boards and anywhere an address alone is easy to get wrong or hard to type.

Address or coordinates?

You can describe the place in two ways, and each has a clear use:

Place name or address — best for businesses and buildings that the maps app already knows. The map resolves the text to the best match.
Latitude and longitude — best for spots with no street address, such as a car park corner, a field, a campsite or a loading bay. The pin lands on exactly the point you chose, with no guessing.

If a name could match several places (a common shop name, for instance), use coordinates or add the city and postcode to the text so the map picks the right one.

Create it in QRinst

Open the QRinst generator and choose Location under the More tab.
Type the place name or address, or enter latitude and longitude.
Download the code and scan it with your own phone before you print anything.

Finding accurate coordinates

In any maps app, press and hold on the exact spot to drop a pin, then copy the two numbers shown for it. Use the decimal form (for example 12.9716, 77.5946) with at least four decimal places, which is accurate to within about ten metres. Copy them straight from the app instead of retyping them: a single swapped digit moves the pin a long way.

Print and placement tips

A location code is usually printed on something people hold or walk past, so follow the size rules in how big to print a QR code. Add a short label such as "Scan for directions" so people know what will happen.

Test on both an iPhone and an Android phone. Each opens its default maps app, and the pin should land on the same place on both. If you will print thousands of copies, check the result once more at the final size and on the real material.