Every Google service you might want to link (a review page, a map, a form, a meeting, a Drive file, a YouTube channel) is an ordinary web address, so a QR code for it is just a QR code for that link. What differs between services is the setting that decides whether a stranger can open it, and the QR code cannot fix that. This page shows which link to copy for each service and the one setting most likely to trip you up.
Which Google link should you copy for each service?
| Service | What to encode | Setting that trips people up | Dedicated generator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google reviews | The "write a review" link built from your Place ID | Google prohibits incentives for reviews and review gating | Google review QR code |
| Google Maps | The link from Maps, Share, Copy link | Test on iPhone and Android; see the note below | Location QR code |
| Google Forms | The responder link (forms.gle or /viewform) | Limit to 1 response, verified emails, and file uploads force a sign-in | Google Forms QR code |
| Google Meet | The meeting link | Codes expire: 60 days unused for Calendar-created ones, 365 days after last use for others | Google Meet QR code |
| Google Docs | The share link | Set General access to "Anyone with the link" and use the Viewer role | Google Docs QR code |
| Google Sheets | The share link | Hidden tabs are not private; viewers can still reach them | Google Sheets QR code |
| Drive, Slides | The share link | Set General access to "Anyone with the link" and choose the role carefully | URL QR code |
| YouTube | The channel or video address | Use the current handle address | YouTube QR code |
Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides
Google's help says that when you share with "Anyone with the link" you also pick a role for people who open it: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor. On a printed handout, the only sensible role is Viewer. An Editor link on a public code lets anyone who scans or photographs it change or delete the file. For folders, use the folder's share link. To give a stable address to files that change, edit the file in place instead of replacing it with a new upload, so the link stays valid.
Google Maps: link or coordinates?
A Maps share link opens Google Maps or a browser on any phone and shows the place, reviews, and directions. The location generator instead encodes raw coordinates as a geo: address, which does not depend on any website but is handled differently across phones and map apps. If you want the place page on everyone's phone, use the Maps link with the URL generator. If you want a coordinate that works without a connection on devices that support it, use the location type and test it on iPhone and Android.
Is it safe to use a Google short link?
Be careful with old goo.gl links. Google's URL shortener was scheduled to shut down on 25 August 2025, then Google said links that were still active would keep working while inactive ones would stop. A printed code that relies on a goo.gl link is at the mercy of that history. For new print, use the full address, or a short path on a domain you control. Google's forms.gle and Maps short links are different services from goo.gl.
How do you make the code?
- Copy the link from the Google service and open it in a private browser window to see what a stranger sees.
- Paste it into the URL QR code generator, or use the dedicated generator in the table.
- Download SVG for print, then scan the exported file on an iPhone and an Android phone.
What should you print next to the code?
A short instruction that says what happens: "Scan to leave a Google review", "Scan to open the map", "Scan to join the call". An unlabeled code is easy to ignore. Place it where people already pause, at a comfortable height, and give it enough size; see the print size guide. For review codes in particular, follow Google's rules: ask everyone, and do not offer anything in exchange. More in QR codes for Google reviews.
How do you test it?
Open the link signed out, in a private window, on mobile data. Then scan the exported code and confirm it lands on the same page. The scannability tester checks how the code behaves under glare, blur, and low light. For two-factor authentication codes, which are a different thing, see Google 2FA QR codes.
References
- Google Drive Help: Share and manage access to files and folders
- Google Docs Editors Help: Publish and share your form with responders
- Google Meet Help: Learn about meeting codes in Google Meet
- Google Maps User Generated Content Policy: Prohibited and restricted content
- The Register: Google to kill off its URL shortener (July 2024)