Creating QR Codes in InDesign with Step by Step instructions!
This is an Adobe InDesign feature that really surprised me when I first learned about it. In editorial design and for many marketing materials we need to generate QR Codes that, when scanned with your phone camera, sends the user to a link, or other specified content. There are many online tools that allow you to create QR codes, but often you need to pay a one-time or monthly fee and there is lots of hidden legal policies that can be tough to navigate. You also need to go through a variety of steps from downloading, formatting and then importing the QR code image into InDesign and then integrate it into your design. This can be especially difficult to manage if you have multiple QR codes in use by clients, different projects or yourself. The great news is that Adobe InDesign has a built in feature that allows you to generate QR Codes very quickly. Let me show you the step by step instructions on how you can easily generate QR Codes directly in Adobe InDesign.
Step 1: Open your document in Adobe InDesign
Make sure that you have nothing selected on your page before proceeding to the next steps.
Step 2: Go to 'Object'' in the top menu bar and select 'Generate QR Code'
This will open a dialogue window with a few options for your next step.
Step 3: Select the desired settings for your QR Code
In this dialogue box, chose your type of QR Code, ie. whatever you would like it to link to. I find the most common item that my clients request a QR Code for, is a web hyperlink or email.
Step 4: Paste the link or content where you want the QR Code to direct in the content box
Step 5 (optional): Change the colour of your QR Code
You can chose from your document's colour palette that automatically appears in this dialogue box. Remember that you will want to chose a colour with enough contrast to your background, so that cameras/QR Code scanners will recognize the image.
Step 6: Click 'OK' and drag your cursor on your page as if you were creating a rectangle shape
This will create the shape that is holding your QR code, and once you let go, you will see it appear in the shape you just created!
But what if you need to make changes later?
Maybe the URL of the link changes, or you need to adjust the colour of the QR code - of course you are able to edit your QR code right in InDesign as well. Simply select the shape with the QR code, right click on the element, and select 'Edit QR Code...' This will bring up the same menu from Steps 3-6 and you can adjust all of the settings.
And that's it!
Generating QR Codes within the Adobe InDesign application is very straight forward and it is such a useful tool in my everyday design workflow. What is your favourite InDesign functionality? Do you use QR Codes in your work? Feel free to share in the comments below!
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