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Upload your video
Upload an MP4, MOV, WebM, M4V, or OGV file up to 200 MB. By default a scan opens the video directly; uncheck "No Website" to show it on a page with your title, logo, and colors.
QR Cake generator
Video to QR Code Generator - MP4, YouTube
Use this video QR code generator to make a QR code for a video: upload an MP4 or MOV file up to 200 MB, save the code to a free QR Cake account, and print it on packaging, signs, or flyers. The code never expires. For a YouTube video, paste its link into a Website QR code instead.
Loading the QR code maker
How it works
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Design and save the code
Pick colors or a gradient, dot and corner styles, a logo in the middle, and one of four frames with call-to-action text such as "Watch the demo". Save the code to a free QR Cake account, then download it as PNG, SVG, JPEG, or WebP.
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Print and update anytime
Place the code where your audience will see it. To change the video later, upload a new file in your dashboard; the printed code stays the same. The Pro and Business plans add scan analytics by day, country, and device.
Common use cases
01
Product unboxing demo printed on the side panel of a retail box so shoppers can watch before they buy.
02
Hotel room guide QR code mounted near the TV that plays a two-minute "how everything works" walkthrough video.
03
Museum exhibit panel that links to a curator's three-minute narrative expanding on the displayed artifact.
04
Real estate property flyer with a code that opens a full virtual tour video of the listed home.
05
Training label on industrial equipment that plays a safety and operation walkthrough when scanned by new staff.
06
Event program insert that links to the highlight reel from last year's conference to build excitement.
07
Restaurant table tent that plays a short chef introduction video timed to launch with a new seasonal menu.
08
In-store retail display for a skincare line that plays a 90-second ingredient explanation video to help customers decide.
Industries that use it
RETAIL & PACKAGING
Brands print video QR codes on packaging to show unboxing demos, ingredient explanations, or assembly guides. A 60-second clip does the explaining the box has no room for, without adding a word of copy.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Instructors attach video codes to printed worksheets, equipment labels, or classroom displays. A student scans the code next to a diagram and watches a four-minute explanation that the printed page cannot fit.
REAL ESTATE
Agents put video codes on yard signs and property flyers. A buyer scans from the sidewalk and watches a walkthrough of the interior before asking for a showing.
EVENTS
Event organizers place video codes on programs, lanyards, and sponsor boards. Attendees scan to watch highlight reels, speaker previews, or sponsor stories between sessions.
HOTELS & VACATION RENTALS
Hotels and vacation rentals mount video codes near appliances, entertainment systems, or check-in desks. Guests scan to watch a short orientation video instead of reading a multi-page welcome book.
MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS
Museums add video codes to exhibit labels so visitors can scan and watch documentary clips, curator interviews, or archival footage that provides context the physical panel cannot hold.
What it is
The printed pattern holds a short QR Cake link, not the video itself. When someone scans it with a phone camera, the browser opens the video you uploaded in its built-in player, with no app to install and no URL to type. By default the scan goes straight to the video file. Uncheck "No Website" and it opens a QR Cake page instead, with your title, logo, description, and colors around the player. On the free plan, a short QR Cake page with a brief ad appears first.
Every video QR code you save to your QR Cake account is dynamic, so the printed code is not tied to one clip. When you shoot a better demo, update a training video, or swap in a seasonal promo, open the code in your dashboard, upload the new file, and save. Every copy already on packaging, signs, or handouts plays the new video from the next scan. A static QR code bakes its destination into the pattern, so changing the video would mean reprinting everything.
Video QR codes earn their place where print runs out of room: a product box with little space for copy, a museum panel that can only hint at a bigger story, or an equipment label where a two-minute safety walkthrough does more than a page of small print. Retailers, teachers, real estate agents, event organizers, and hotels use them to attach that explanation to the object itself.
There are two ways to put a video behind a QR code. Upload the file to a Video QR code and QR Cake hosts it for you, up to 200 MB. If the video is already on YouTube or Vimeo, make a Website QR code from its share link instead, so scans open it on that platform and views count there. Both are dynamic once saved, so you can swap the file or repoint the link later without reprinting.
Best practices
- Put a specific call to action in the frame. "Watch the 90-second assembly guide" tells people what they will get and how long it takes; a generic "Scan me" does not.
- Keep videos under three minutes for public or retail contexts where visitors are standing and deciding. Training and tour videos can run longer when the viewer is seated.
- Burn captions into the video before you upload it. Many people scan in offices, libraries, or on public transit, where they cannot play sound out loud.
- Scan a test print with an iPhone and an Android phone before printing the full run. On mobile data, not just Wi-Fi, check that the video starts within a few seconds of tapping play.
- On the Pro or Business plan, give each placement its own code (packaging, shelf talker, window sign) so scan analytics show which one people actually scan.
- Print the code at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide with a blank margin at least 4 mm (3/16 inch) wide on all four sides. Smaller codes do not scan reliably at arm's length.
Limitations to know before you print
- The video streams over the viewer's own connection. A large file on a weak mobile signal can take long enough to start that some people give up before it plays.
- Do not count on the video starting by itself or with sound. Depending on the browser, viewers usually tap play, and many watch muted in public, so the opening seconds and burned-in captions have to carry the message without audio.
- On the free plan, viewers wait through a short QR Cake ad page with a few-second countdown before the video starts. Every paid plan, from $2.99 a month, removes it.
- The video plays in the browser's standard player, so there are no chapters, clickable links, or end screens. Put the next step, such as a web address or discount code, on the printed piece or in the video.
- Video straight off a phone is large: a few minutes of 1080p footage can pass the 200 MB upload cap, and even smaller files buffer slowly on a weak mobile signal. Export at 720p or compress the clip before uploading.
How it compares
| Video QR Code | YouTube URL QR | Link List QR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video destination | Your uploaded video file | YouTube only | Multiple links incl. video |
| Change video without reprint | Yes (dynamic) | Yes (dynamic) | Yes (dynamic) |
| Branding on landing page | Optional page: your title, logo, colors | YouTube's page and player | Page with your title, logo, links |
| Viewer sees ads | Brief QR Cake ad on free plan; none on paid | Brief QR Cake ad on free plan, plus YouTube ads | Brief QR Cake ad on free plan; none on paid |
| Best suited to | One clip, no YouTube channel needed | Videos already on your YouTube channel | Offering viewers a choice of clips |
| Scan analytics | Pro and Business plans | Pro and Business plans | Pro and Business plans |
What it is
A video QR code is a QR code that opens a video in the phone's browser when someone scans it. It suits product demos, room tours, training walkthroughs, and event recaps: anywhere a short clip explains more than a printed surface has room for.
Start with the generator
The QR type is already selected. Add your content, style the code, then save it to a free account to get a dynamic QR code you can update anytime.
Make a video QR codeFrequently asked questions
What video formats does QR Cake support?+
QR Cake accepts MP4, MOV, WebM, M4V, and OGV video uploads, up to 200 MB per file. MP4 encoded with H.264 plays most reliably on iPhone, Android, and desktop browsers, so export to it if you are unsure; some MOV files recorded in HEVC will not play in every browser. For a video on YouTube or Vimeo, skip the upload and make a Website QR code with its link.
Is there a file size limit for uploaded videos?+
Yes. QR Cake accepts video files up to 200 MB, and the cap is the same on every plan, including free. For smooth playback on mobile data, aim well below it: a clip of two minutes or less exported at 720p usually fits in 50 MB. For long videos, upload to YouTube or Vimeo and point a Website QR code at the link.
Will the video autoplay when someone scans the code?+
Do not count on it. Whether a video starts by itself is up to the viewer's browser, and QR Cake's hosted video page waits for a tap on play. Mobile browsers also block autoplay with sound, so make the first few seconds work without audio and burn in captions for people watching muted.
Does scanning use the viewer's mobile data?+
Yes. The video streams over the viewer's mobile data or Wi-Fi, and watching it to the end downloads roughly the whole file, which can be up to 200 MB. A two-minute clip exported at 720p is typically 20 to 40 MB, so trim and compress the video, especially for codes placed where there is no Wi-Fi.
Is it free to make a QR code for a video?+
Yes. QR Cake's free plan includes up to 5 dynamic QR codes, video codes included, with unlimited scans, no credit card, and codes that never expire. On the free plan each scan shows a short QR Cake page with a brief ad and a few-second countdown before the video; paid plans start at $2.99 a month and remove that page, and Basic and higher plans also raise the code limit. Scan analytics come with the Pro and Business plans.
Can I link to a YouTube or Vimeo video instead of uploading a file?+
Yes, with a Website QR code instead of the Video type. Choose Website in QR Cake (or open the YouTube QR code generator), paste the youtube.com, youtu.be, or vimeo.com link, and save the code to your account so you can change it later. Scans open the video on YouTube or Vimeo in their player, and YouTube adds its own recommendations and ads, which you cannot control.
Does the QR code work for both landscape and portrait videos?+
Yes. The QR code only opens the video, so it plays in whatever orientation you filmed it. Portrait video (9:16) fills a phone held upright, while landscape video (16:9) plays in a smaller, letterboxed frame until the viewer turns the phone sideways or goes full screen.
Can I replace the video later without reprinting the QR code?+
Yes, as long as the code is saved to your QR Cake account. Open it in your dashboard, upload the new video file, and save: every copy already printed on packaging, signs, or handouts plays the new video from the next scan. The code does not expire, so the same print keeps working for as long as you keep your account.
How do I make a QR code for a video?+
Upload the video to QR Cake's video QR code generator, save the code to a free account, and download it. Pick an MP4, MOV, or WebM file up to 200 MB, add colors, a logo, or a frame if you like, and export the code as PNG, SVG, JPEG, or WebP for print. No credit card is needed, and because saved codes are dynamic, you can swap the video later without reprinting.
How do I make a QR code for a YouTube video?+
Paste the YouTube link (a youtube.com watch URL or a youtu.be short link) into a Website QR code, or use QR Cake's YouTube QR code generator, instead of uploading the file. Scanning the code opens the video on YouTube, so views count toward your channel. Save the code to your account and you can repoint it to a different video at any time without reprinting.
How do I turn a video into a QR code?+
Upload the video file in the generator above, save the code to your account, and download it. QR Cake hosts the file (MP4, MOV, WebM, M4V, or OGV, up to 200 MB), and anyone who scans the code watches it in their phone's browser with no app to install. For a video already on YouTube or Vimeo, turn its link into a Website QR code instead.
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