A customer says the visit went well, and then they walk out the door. Two days later you wish you had handed them something. The fastest fix is a Google review QR code at the spot where they pay: they scan it with their phone and land on your review form, with no searching for your business and no hunting for the right button. You do not need to buy anything to get one. Google gives every verified business a free review link and QR code inside its Business Profile, and the whole job, from getting the code to putting it at your counter, can take about ten minutes. What takes more care is where you place it, how you ask, and keeping the code safe once it is in public. This post walks through all of it, in the order you would do it.
Key Takeaways
Google generates the review link and QR code inside your Business Profile, so there is no subscription to buy for the basic version.
Google says review QR codes can be generated in a computer browser, not on mobile devices.
Google forbids incentives, asking only happy customers, pressuring people on the premises and requesting specific wording or ratings.
Scan the printed copy on a phone, put it where customers already pause, and inspect it regularly for damage or stickers placed over it.
How do you get your free Google review QR code in ten minutes?
Everything starts in your Business Profile, and the order matters. You need access to the verified profile for the exact business and location you want reviewed. If you manage more than one location, make sure you are in the right one before you copy anything, because a code that points to the wrong listing sends reviews to the wrong place.
Google's help page on creating a review link or QR code says: “Go to your Business Profile. Select Read Reviews and then Get more reviews.” From there, Google lets you copy the review link or download the QR code it shows by right-clicking it and choosing “Save image as….” Google currently states that review QR codes can be generated in a computer browser, not on mobile devices, so sit down at a laptop or desktop for this step.
- Open your Business Profile on a computer: Sign in with the account that manages the listing and check that the business name and location are the right ones.
- Choose Read Reviews, then Get more reviews: This opens the review link and the QR code.
- Copy the link or save the image: Copy the link for emails and texts, and right-click the QR code to save it for print.
- Scan it with your own phone: Confirm that it opens the correct business and the review form.
- Save the original file somewhere safe: You will compare every future printout against it.
If you want a different look, a free QR generator can make a separate image, as long as it encodes your official review link exactly. The default code from Google works the same way, and it does not need to be artistic, animated or heavily branded to do its job.
What should you check before you print a single card?
A code that looks good but does not scan is worse than no code, because customers try once and move on. Test the finished material, not just the file on your screen. Print one test card or receipt sample, then scan it from the distance a customer would be standing, in the light of your actual counter, on more than one phone if you can.
Contrast and a clear margin around the code matter, and so does a readable fallback. Add a short backup line such as “Search our business on Google and choose Reviews,” so someone with an older phone still has a path. The standard that defines QR codes, ISO/IEC 18004:2024, covers dimensions, error correction, decoding and print quality, but it sets no single size for every counter, receipt or invoice. So, do not chase a magic measurement. Make it large enough that your test scan works from where the customer stands.
| Check | What to look for | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Destination | The scan opens the right business and location | Regenerate the code from the correct profile |
| Scan test | Opens quickly on at least two phones | Increase the size or contrast, or move the code to a flatter surface |
| Margin | Clear blank space around all four sides | Reprint with more space |
| Lighting | Scans under your real counter lights | Try a matte finish or a different spot |
| Backup line | A short written fallback below the code | Add one before printing |
Where should you put the code so customers actually scan it?
Customers scan when the code is in front of them at a natural pause. Google names receipts, thank-you emails, the end of chat interactions and printed in-store displays as suitable places. Think about the moments where someone is already holding a phone or waiting: the payment point, the pickup counter, the handoff of an invoice, the end of a service call.
| Where you work | Good spots | Pairing |
|---|---|---|
| Counter or shop | Beside the payment terminal, on the receipt, on a take-home card | A short spoken thank-you |
| Service calls or jobs | On the invoice, on a leave-behind card, in a thank-you text | The link itself in the message |
| Office or clinic | At the front desk, in the follow-up email after a visit | A reminder in the checkout script |
| Online or phone sales | In the order confirmation or email footer | The copied review link |
Whatever you choose, start with one placement, watch what happens, and add another. If you already send follow-up messages, drop the copied link into them. Our post on how to get more reviews covers the broader request routine; this post stays on the link and the code.
How do you ask for the review without breaking Google's rules?
The code opens the door; how you ask decides whether it stays inside Google's rules. Google's Maps policy allows you to request reviews that reflect genuine customer experiences, and it permits sharing a review link or QR code and displaying it in a store. It forbids incentives such as payment, discounts, free goods or free services in exchange for posting, changing or removing a review. It also forbids discouraging or prohibiting negative reviews and selectively soliciting only positive reviews. Google says merchants should not require or pressure people to leave ratings or write reviews while on the premises, and should not request specific wording or ratings.
The Federal Trade Commission's August 14, 2024 final rule announcement adds that fake or false reviews are prohibited, along with compensation conditioned on a particular positive or negative sentiment.
| Say or do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| "If you have a minute, we would appreciate a review, in your own words." | "Please leave us five stars." |
| Offer the code to every customer who is willing | Asking only people who seem happy |
| Let the customer decide on the spot or later | Making them scan before they can leave |
| Thank them whatever they write | Offering a discount, gift or prize for a review |
| Leave the wording to the customer | Handing out a script of what to say |
That last row is the one that matters most. A short, optional ask, said once, is enough. If a customer says no, say thank you and move on.
How do you keep the code safe and working?
A QR code is only as trustworthy as the destination encoded in it. The FBI and the FTC both warn that criminals can place a fake sticker over a legitimate code, send deceptive codes by email or text, or send people to spoofed login pages and malware. The FTC's alert on scammers hiding harmful links in QR codes is a short read worth sharing with staff, and the FBI's Tech Tuesday guidance covers the same warning.
Build a few small habits around that:
- Inspect the display: Look at every printed code in public when you open and close, and peel or replace anything that looks added on top.
- Secure the sign: Use a holder or adhesive that cannot be swapped out quickly.
- Compare against the original: When you reprint, check the new code against your saved file.
- Retest after every change: Rescan the destination after a reprint, a sign change or a profile change.
- Know what a customer should see: A Google review code should open Google, never an unfamiliar form that asks for a password or payment information.
Can you track scans, and what should you expect from them?
A scan is not a review. The code makes it easier for a willing customer to reach the form, but the customer still decides whether to post and what to write. The code does not guarantee reviews, rankings, sales or any particular scan rate.
If you want to count visits, point the code at a short link on your own website that sends people on to Google. Add UTM parameters to the link and Google Analytics can report visits to it, as Google Analytics help describes. Your analytics cannot see scans that go straight to Google, so treat any count from your own redirect as visits, never as completed reviews. Compare it with the reviews that actually arrive.
When is it worth getting help with this?
You can make the basic code yourself, for free, in one sitting. Paid help starts to make sense when the job is not generating a code but making the process reliable: several locations, consistent printed materials, receipt or invoice integration, a measurable redirect, staff scripts and training, regular testing, or cleaning up who has access to the profile.
If one location and one counter is all you have, do the ten minutes above and stop there. For anything larger, the work worth paying for is setup, testing and upkeep, not access to Google's basic QR feature.
Check your review QR code plan
Pick an answer to begin.
1. Where do you generate Google's built-in review QR code?
2. A customer asks what they get for leaving a review. What do you say?
3. You reprint your counter sign. What is the best next step?
Frequently Asked Questions About google review qr code
Can I make a Google review QR code for free?
Yes. Google provides one inside your Business Profile, at no charge.
Can I create it on my phone?
Google's current help page says the built-in QR code is generated in a computer browser, not on mobile.
Where do I find it?
Open your Business Profile, choose Read Reviews, then Get more reviews.
Can I put it on a receipt or invoice?
Yes. Google lists receipts among suitable places, along with thank-you emails, chat endings and printed in-store displays.
Can I offer a discount for a review, or ask only happy customers?
No to both. Google prohibits incentives and selective solicitation, and the FTC rule prohibits compensation conditioned on a particular sentiment.
How big should it be?
There is no single size for every surface. Test the finished material at the distance and in the light where customers will actually scan it.
The Bottom Line
You can have a working Google review QR code today. Get the link from your Business Profile on a computer, scan it on a phone, print one test card, put it where customers pay, and ask without rewards. Then inspect it regularly so no one covers it with a sticker or sends people somewhere else.
A tested code and a calm, optional request give willing customers an easy way to tell others about their visit, and they keep you well inside Google's rules. Over time, the habit matters more than the artwork.
If you want help with several locations, receipt or invoice setup, a measurable redirect or a staff routine, Web Leveling can build it with you through our online reputation management work, and our Google Business Profile management keeps the listing the code points to accurate. For a single counter, you can do it yourself, and we will tell you so. We work with small and medium businesses across the country and overseas. Contact us about your review process, and we will help you set it up.
Terms
Words used in this post
Tap a term to see what it means.
Business Profile. A business's free listing on Google Search and Maps, formerly called Google My Business.
Review link. A web address that opens the Google review form for one business.
QR code. A square pattern a phone camera reads to open a web address.
Incentive. Anything of value offered in exchange for a review, which Google forbids.
Selective solicitation. Asking only likely-positive customers for reviews, which Google forbids.
Redirect. A short link on your own website that sends visitors on to another address, so you can count visits.
UTM parameters. Tags added to a link so Google Analytics can tell where visits came from.
