Create a location QR code from GPS coordinates
Turn latitude and longitude into a QR code that opens the spot in a phone's map app.
Create your code
StaticWhen a location QR code beats a map link
A location QR code turns a pair of GPS coordinates into a scannable pin. It is the right tool when a place has no tidy street address: a trailhead, a festival gate, a parking field, a delivery point behind a building, the far corner of a property. It encodes a geo: URI, which is map-app neutral, so it opens in whatever map the phone already uses. If you instead have a named business and want Google Maps directions specifically, the Google Maps QR code generator is the better fit.
Check the final file
Every code should be tested in the place where people will use it.
- Scan the downloaded image.
- Check the destination on a phone.
- Keep contrast and spacing easy to read.
If the first print feels uncertain, make one more proof.
Create a location QR code from coordinates
- Find the exact coordinates. In most map apps you can long-press a spot to drop a pin and copy its latitude and longitude.
- Paste the latitude in the first field and the longitude in the second, in decimal degrees like 40.748817 and -73.985428.
- Generate the code and scan it to confirm the pin lands where you expect, not a block or a hemisphere away.
- Download the SVG for printed signs or the PNG for digital use.
- Put it where people decide where to go: gate signage, a parking board, an event map, a delivery instruction.
Where location QR codes help
- A trailhead car park with no street address
- A festival entrance gate
- A delivery drop point behind a building
Coordinate checks before printing
- Use decimal degrees, not degrees and minutes. A reading like 40°44'56"N has to be converted to 40.748817 first.
- Longitude is negative west of Greenwich and latitude is negative south of the equator. One missing minus sign moves the pin to the wrong side of the planet.
- A geo: code opens the phone's default map app. If you specifically need Google Maps or preloaded directions, use the Google Maps QR tool instead.
Location QR mistakes to avoid
- Swapping latitude and longitude. Latitude always comes first and never goes above 90.
- Dropping the minus sign, which mirrors the location across the equator or the prime meridian.
- Reaching for a coordinate code when you actually wanted turn-by-turn directions to a named place.
Location QR code questions
What does a location QR code actually contain?
A geo: URI, which is just the latitude and longitude in a short standard string like geo:40.748817,-73.985428. There is no map provider baked in, which is why it opens in whichever map app the phone prefers.
Will it open Google Maps?
It opens the phone's default map app, which is usually Apple Maps on an iPhone and Google Maps on many Android phones. If you need a guaranteed Google Maps link, or directions rather than a pin, use the Google Maps QR code generator on this site instead.
Where do I find latitude and longitude?
On a phone, long-press a spot in your map app and the coordinates appear or copy to the clipboard. On a computer, right-click a point in Google Maps and the latitude and longitude sit at the top of the menu.
Does it give directions or just drop a pin?
It drops a pin at the coordinates. The person scanning then taps directions from there in their map app. If you want directions preloaded from the start, encode a maps directions link with the Google Maps QR tool.
What format do the coordinates need to be in?
Decimal degrees, with a dot, like 51.500729 and -0.124625. If your source shows degrees, minutes and seconds, convert it first. Most map apps already give you the decimal form when you copy a point.
Does a location QR code work offline?
The code itself decodes offline because the coordinates are stored in the image. Opening the pin on a map usually still needs the map app to load tiles, which often means a connection, though offline maps work if the user has them downloaded.
How accurate is the pin?
As accurate as the decimals you give it. Five decimal places land within about a meter, four within about ten meters. For a building entrance, five places is plenty. For a wide field, fewer is fine.
More tools for places and directions
Google Maps QR Code Generator
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URL QR Code Generator
Paste a link and turn it into a scannable QR code for printed materials.
Event QR Code Generator
Create a QR code that helps people save event details after scanning.
Wedding QR Code Generator
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