Location QR Code Generator
Encode a GPS coordinate into a QR code. Scanning opens the user's default maps app (Apple Maps, Google Maps, etc.) at that exact latitude/longitude — perfect for event venues, trailheads, and meeting points without an address.
A location QR code encodes a geo: URI (geo:<lat>,<lng>). When scanned, the phone opens the user's default maps app — Apple Maps on iPhone, Google Maps on most Android phones — centred on that exact coordinate. Perfect for meeting points, trailheads, event venues without a fixed street address, geocaches, and rural properties where the postal address doesn't drop a pin in the right place. Use decimal degrees with a negative sign for south and west, never degrees-minutes-seconds, and give five decimal places — that is roughly one metre of precision, which is as much as consumer GPS delivers anyway. Support is the caveat: Android handles geo: reliably, while iOS is inconsistent and some versions ignore it, so for a mixed audience an Apple Maps or Google Maps URL is the safer choice despite being longer and less neutral.
How does a Location QR code work?
The geo: URI is standardised in RFC 5870 and understood by every major mobile OS: iOS routes geo: to Apple Maps, Android routes it to Google Maps (or the user's chosen map app). Coordinates are decimal degrees — 37.7749, -122.4194 is downtown San Francisco. Some third-party apps also accept an optional altitude (geo:lat,lng,alt) and a query parameter (?q=place+name), but not all readers respect them, so this generator keeps to the widely-supported lat,lng form.
Common mistakes and limitations of Location QR codes
The geo: URI only carries coordinates — it can't include a place name, address label, or a routing preference (driving vs walking). If you want a labelled pin with a name, use a URL QR pointing to a Google Maps or Apple Maps share link instead. Coordinate precision matters: 4 decimal places (~11 metres) is usually enough for a meeting spot, 6 places (~10 cm) is only useful for surveying. And some Android phones without a default maps app configured will prompt the user to pick an app the first time.
Where Location QR codes get used in practice
Outdoor recreation and events are the main deployments. Trail networks, nature reserves and country parks put geo: QRs on waymarkers so a walker can drop the exact point into their maps app, and event organisers use them for parking entrances, marshalling points and camping fields that have no useful postal address. Rural property and agriculture use them for gate access and delivery points, where the registered address puts a pin in the wrong field. Emergency and mountain rescue signage uses them so a caller can read out a precise position. The operational consideration is that the QR is only half the solution. A geo: URI opens a map centred on a point but does not label it or provide routing context, so signage should carry the coordinates as printed text alongside — a walker with no signal can still read the numbers to a rescue service, which is precisely the scenario where the QR itself is useless. Durable printing matters more here than anywhere else, since these codes live outdoors for years without maintenance.
Printing a Location QR code so it actually scans
A geo: URI carrying two coordinates at six decimal places is around 30 to 35 characters, producing a low-version, robust code. That suits the environments location QRs are used in, which are usually outdoors and weathered — trailhead posts, event marshalling points, geocaches and rural property signs. For outdoor use the material matters more than the density. UV exposure fades inkjet output within a season, so laminate or use a UV-stable print process, and prefer a matte laminate over gloss to avoid sun glare defeating the camera. Engraved or routed signage works well because the contrast is physical rather than pigment-based. Cut coordinate precision to four decimal places unless you genuinely need better than eleven metres. It shortens the payload, lowers the QR version, and makes the code more robust — and for a meeting point or a car park entrance, eleven metres is well inside the accuracy of the phone's own GPS anyway.
Location QR code FAQ
Where do I find latitude and longitude?
- In Google Maps, right-click any point on the map and the coordinates appear at the top of the menu, ready to copy.
Which maps app opens?
- Whatever's set as the user's default — Apple Maps on iPhone, Google Maps on most Android phones. The geo: standard is universally supported.
Can I include a place name?
- Not in a pure geo: URI. For a labelled pin, use a URL QR pointing to a Google Maps or Apple Maps share link instead.
How precise should the coordinates be?
- 4 decimal places (about 11 metres) is enough for meeting points and venues. 6 places is centimetre-level and only useful for surveying.
Do I need to include the ‘minus’ for western/southern hemispheres?
- Yes. Negative latitude means southern hemisphere; negative longitude means western hemisphere. Skipping the sign points to a completely different place.
Does the QR give walking or driving directions?
- The geo: URI just centres the map on the point. The user picks their own routing mode after the maps app opens.
Will this work offline?
- The QR itself decodes offline. The maps app then needs the destination area cached or a connection to load the map tiles.
Are my coordinates uploaded anywhere?
- No. The QR is generated locally and the coordinates are encoded directly into the image.
Location QR field reference
| Field | URI segment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Latitude | geo:<lat> | Decimal degrees, e.g. 37.7749 |
| Longitude | ,<lng> | Decimal degrees, e.g. -122.4194 |
| Precision | 4 places ≈ 11 m | 6 places ≈ 0.1 m |
Full example: geo:37.7749,-122.4194
Last updated:
References: RFC 5870 (geo URI), Apple Maps URL scheme documentation, Google Maps intent documentation.