Quick answer: type your number with the country code, for example +92 300 1234567 or +1 212 555 0100. The QR code stores a tel: link; scanning it opens the dialler with the number filled in, and the caller just taps the call button. Spaces and dashes are removed automatically.
Always add the country code
A number like 0300 1234567 works for someone in the same country, but a tourist’s phone may dial the wrong place. Writing it in international form – a plus sign, the country code, then the number without the leading 0 – works from anywhere: +44 20 7946 0000, +971 4 123 4567, +92 42 1234567. You can still print the local version as text next to the code.
Where scan-to-call is handy
- Vehicles and shop shutters – “Blocking you? Scan to call.”
- Property boards – buyers call the agent while standing outside the house.
- Lost-and-found tags on luggage, bikes and pet collars.
- Service stickers on boilers, ACs and lifts so the right technician is one scan away.
What the phone actually does
The code contains tel:+923001234567. iPhones show a “Call” banner; Android cameras show the number with a dial button. Nobody is called without the person confirming, so it is safe to put on public signs. On tablets and laptops without calling, the number is simply shown so it can be copied.
A call code dials the number but does not save it. If you want the number to stay in people’s phones, the vCard QR code generator adds your name and email as a contact card; to receive written questions instead of calls, try the email QR code generator.
How to make a QR code that calls a number
- Type the number. Start with + and the country code. Spaces, brackets and dashes are fine – they are cleaned up for you.
- Check the preview. The code is small and simple, so it scans well even at 2 cm.
- Add a label. Print a short line under the code such as “Scan to call reception” so people know what happens.
- Download. PNG for stickers and documents, SVG or PDF for signs and print shops.
Call, SMS or WhatsApp?
Calls suit urgent things. If people are more likely to send a quick message, a WhatsApp QR code or an SMS QR code may get more responses – and you can put two codes side by side, each with a clear label.
The country-code picker
The list starts on the country your browser reports, and the leading zero you dial at home is removed automatically: Pakistan 0300 1234567 becomes tel:+923001234567, UK 07700 900123 becomes tel:+447700900123. If you paste a number that already starts with + or 00, it is used as it is and the picker is ignored.
Sticker sizes that work
| Where | Code size | Scanning distance |
|---|---|---|
| Business card, luggage tag | 2 cm | Up to 20 cm |
| Car windscreen, shop door | 4–5 cm | Up to 50 cm |
| Property board, van side | 10–15 cm | 1–1.5 m |
A phone code is short – about 17 characters – so even small stickers give a very open, easy pattern. That leaves room for a logo and a bold caption such as “Scan to call”.
Extensions and IVR menus
The extension box adds a pause (a comma) and then the digits, so tel:+12125550100,214 dials the main line, waits about two seconds and keys in 214. Most phones support this; a few dialers ignore the part after the comma, so mention the extension in the caption as well.
Frequently asked questions
Does scanning the code call me automatically?
No. The dialler opens with your number filled in and the person taps Call. This is how iPhone and Android both handle tel links.
Should I include the country code?
Yes. With +country code the number works from any country and any SIM. Without it, callers abroad may reach the wrong number.
Can I add an extension?
Many phones accept a comma for a pause, for example +12125550100,123. Test it with your own phone system before printing.
Does it work on landlines?
The QR code works with any number you can dial – mobile, landline or toll-free. The scanning phone does the calling.
Can I change the number later?
No, the number is fixed in the code. If it changes, generate a new code.
Is this the same as a contact card?
No. This only dials. To save your name, number and email into contacts, use the vCard QR code.
Does the code work with WhatsApp calls?
No – a tel: code uses the normal phone dialler. For WhatsApp, use the WhatsApp QR code generator.
Why is the leading 0 removed?
International numbers never include the national trunk prefix (0). Keeping it would dial the wrong number from abroad.
Can I make a code for a toll-free number?
Yes. Enter it as dialled in your country with the country code, for example +1 800 555 0100. Toll-free numbers may not work when called from abroad.