A step-by-step guide to creating a UPI payment QR code for a shop, stall or invoice, printing it at the right size, and protecting customers from QR swap scams.
Updated
For most shops, stalls and home businesses in India, a UPI QR code is the checkout. Customers expect it, it costs nothing to accept, and the money lands straight in your bank account.
Open all four studios free — no card, nothing to install.
What many people don't realise is that you don't need an app, a sign-up or a payment company to make one. A UPI QR code is just a short piece of text in a standard format — and any QR generator can turn it into a code every UPI app can read.
When someone scans your code, their UPI app reads a link like this:
upi://pay?pa=yourname@okbank&pn=Your Shop Name&am=250.00&cu=INR&tn=Order 102
Each part has a job:
| Part | Meaning | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| pa | Payee address — your UPI ID | Yes |
| pn | Payee name — shown to the customer | Recommended |
| am | Amount, pre-filled | Optional |
| cu | Currency — INR | Yes (added for you) |
| tn | Note — shown with the payment | Optional |
That's all. No login, no expiry, no middleman. The code works in Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM and every other UPI app.
Your UPI ID looks like name@bankhandle. You'll find it in your UPI app's profile section.
For occasional payments, a personal UPI ID works. For a shop taking payments every day, it's worth asking your bank about a business or merchant UPI ID — they're designed for regular customer payments and can make your records and limits easier to manage.
Add a short note too — an invoice number or product name makes matching payments much easier later.
In our free QR code generator, choose UPI, then enter:
The code updates as you type. You can change the colours and add your logo in the centre — the generator automatically switches to the highest error correction so the code still scans with a logo on top.
The codes are static: your details are written into the pattern itself, so the code never expires and doesn't depend on any website staying online.
Tip: Keep the code dark on a light background. Light-on-dark and pale colour combinations fail on many phone cameras, especially in dim shops.
Scan the code with your own phone and a second phone with a different UPI app. Make a ₹1 payment and check:
Only then print it.
Too small and phones struggle to focus; too close to the edge of a sign and they can't find it.
| Where | Minimum size |
|---|---|
| Invoice or receipt | 2.5 × 2.5 cm |
| Shop counter stand | 5 × 5 cm or bigger |
| Wall or window, scanned from 1–2 m | 10–20 cm |
A handy rule is that the code should be about one-tenth of the scanning distance. Always leave a clear margin (the "quiet zone") around the code, at least a few millimetres of plain background.
Download the SVG version for printing — it stays perfectly sharp at any size. Use the PNG for WhatsApp, invoices and your website.
A bare QR code works, but a simple card works better. Include:
You can lay this out in a few minutes in Pixel Studio: place the downloaded QR, add your name and colours, and print it at A6 or postcard size.
A known trick is to paste a different QR sticker over a shop's code so payments go to a scammer. A few habits make this much harder:
Making a festive offer poster to go with it? Our Diwali content plan covers what to post and when.
Yes. The QR code only contains your UPI ID, name and optional amount in a standard format, so you can generate it with any free QR tool. There's no charge for the code itself.
It works, but many banks and payment apps recommend a business or merchant UPI ID for regular shop payments — it can offer higher limits and cleaner records. Check what your bank offers.
At least 2 × 2 cm for anything scanned up close, and 5 × 5 cm or larger for a shop counter. A rough rule: the code should be about one-tenth of the distance it's scanned from.
Yes. Adding an amount pre-fills it in the payer's app — useful on invoices, event tickets and fixed-price items. Leave it out for a counter QR that should work for any payment.
Laminate or frame your QR, check it daily, and ask customers to confirm your business name appears in their app before paying. Scammers sometimes paste their own QR sticker over a shop's.
