WiFi QR Wi-Fi QR code not working? Format, special characters and hidden networks
A Wi-Fi QR code that scans fine but refuses to connect almost always has one wrong detail somewhere: the password or name doesn't match the router exactly, the security type is off, a special character was never escaped, or the network is hidden and the code doesn't say so. Scan it to see what it actually holds, fix that one detail, and make a fresh code.
Checklist: why a Wi-Fi QR code won't connect
- The password got changed on the router after the code was made. Codes don't update themselves, ever.
- The name or password doesn't match exactly — capitals, spaces and symbols all count, every time.
- The security type is wrong, such as a code marked open for a network that actually has a password.
- A ; , : \ or " in the name or password went unescaped, so the phone reads a cut-off password.
- The name or password looks like a hexadecimal number and wasn't put in quotes, so some phones read it as raw bytes instead of text.
- The network is hidden and the code doesn't carry the hidden flag.
- The network is enterprise (username plus password), which this kind of code simply can't carry.
- The phone is out of range, or the network is 5 GHz only while the device only does 2.4 GHz.
How to find the problem with WiFi QR
- Open the Scan tab and scan the code that's failing. The Scanned Network sheet shows the name, security and password it actually contains.
- Compare them with your router, letter by letter. Tap the eye to reveal the password.
- On the Generate tab, enter the correct details. A red message under the buttons means the code won't draw until it's fixed.
- If the network is hidden, open Advanced Options and switch on Hidden Network.
- Test the new code with a phone that isn't already connected, then swap out the old one.
What the error messages mean
| Message | Why it matters | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Network name cannot be longer than 32 characters | Wi-Fi names are capped at 32 bytes; anything longer matches no real network. | Use the exact name from the router. Accents and emoji each cost several bytes. |
| Password is required for secured networks | A WPA or WEP network simply can't be joined without its key. | Type the password, or switch to Open (No Password) if there really isn't one. |
| WPA passwords must be between 8 and 63 characters | Every phone rejects a WPA key outside that range. | Check the password — a 7-character one like abc1234 is mistyped or cut short. |
| WEP keys must be 5 or 13 characters, or 10 or 26 hexadecimal digits | Those really are the only valid WEP key lengths. | Check the key, or just move the router to WPA2 or WPA3. |
That 32-character limit is actually a byte limit, not a letter count. "Café Wi-Fi ☕ Terrazza Grande" is 28 characters but 31 bytes, so it still passes. Tack on " 2" and it's 30 characters, 33 bytes — now it fails, because é and ☕ each cost more than one byte.
The Wi-Fi QR code string format
A Wi-Fi QR code is plain text: WIFI:T:type;S:name;P:password;H:true;;, where each lowercase word stands for a value. T is WPA, WEP or nopass for an open network. P gets dropped entirely for an open network. H:true only shows up for a hidden one. The whole thing ends with two semicolons.
Inside a value, the characters \ ; , : and " each get a backslash in front. And when a whole value happens to be an even number of hexadecimal digits (0-9, a-f), WiFi QR wraps it in double quotes so phones read it as text, not as raw bytes. Here's what the app actually writes for a few different cases:
| Case | Name / password | Text in the code |
|---|---|---|
| Colon and semicolon in password | Casa Rossi / sole;mare:2024 | WIFI:T:WPA;S:Casa Rossi;P:sole\;mare\:2024;; |
| Comma in name, quote in password | Casa, Rossi / Sole"Mare88 | WIFI:T:WPA;S:Casa\, Rossi;P:Sole\"Mare88;; |
| Password that looks hexadecimal | HomeNet / 1234abcd | WIFI:T:WPA;S:HomeNet;P:"1234abcd";; |
| Name that looks hexadecimal | CAFE2024 / espresso-bar | WIFI:T:WPA;S:"CAFE2024";P:espresso-bar;; |
| Hidden network | Office-5G / Blue+Sky7 | WIFI:T:WPA;S:Office-5G;P:Blue+Sky7;H:true;; |
| Open network | Cafe Guest / none | WIFI:T:nopass;S:Cafe Guest;; |
| WEP hexadecimal key | Old / A1B2C3D4E5 | WIFI:T:WEP;S:Old;P:"A1B2C3D4E5";; |
Hidden SSID and WPA3
For a hidden network, switch on Hidden Network so the code carries H:true — the phone then keeps looking for the network even though it never broadcasts. For WPA3-Personal, pick WPA/WPA2/WPA3. The code just says T:WPA, and phones treat that the same for WPA2, WPA3 and mixed WPA2/WPA3 routers.
Wi-Fi QR code not working on iPhone only?
If Android phones connect fine but an iPhone doesn't, open the Camera app, make sure the code fills the frame, wait for the yellow banner, then tap it. If that iPhone already saved this network under an old password, forget it in iOS Settings under Wi-Fi first, then scan again.
Questions and answers
Do Wi-Fi QR codes stop working after a while?
Does a Wi-Fi QR code work with WPA3?
Can a Wi-Fi QR code connect to a hidden network?
Why does my password with a semicolon break the code?
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