How To Create QR Codes In Adobe InDesign CC

Hi there, in this video we're going to look at how to make this QR code, here in the top left. When it gets used, it's going to open up a website. Awesome! Let's go and learn how to make that now.

So to create a QR code, I'm on my page 1, I'm going to go up to 'Object', 'Generate QR Code'. Now, by default it's going to be a web hyperlink, and that's the one that people use the most. You can have it to be an email address. These other ones are a bit weird, if you use a QR code, and it will give you some text. You could use it like, I don't know, a treasure hunt map thing. It could give you text clues, not sure why you would. Hyperlink is probably the most important one.

Type in the URL, that it wants to go to. Then pick a color, I'm picking 'Paper' for mine because I want it to go on this dark background here, but you could pick any color, it works for most colors. When I say most colors, I mean, if I put black on this it's probably not going to get read by the camera of the cell phone. So black's going to be a nice good contrast. Then you can just drag it out the size you need it to be. Now, give it some test before you go out to print. Just to make sure that it can be read by a QR Code Reader. That's how to do a QR Code, really.

You can select on him, and go to 'Object', 'Edit QR Code' to adjust it if you need to, or change the color. The awkward bit, the QR Code Reader thing that nobody uses. It's up to you, you might find a really good use for this but the problem with QR Code Readers or QR Codes in general is that nobody has a QR Code Reader on their cell phone by default. So people have to download it, and use it that way. Now the trouble is, it's like, I've done it but I'm a super nerd when it comes to this sort of stuff. I need a QR Code Reader but it's just not something on by default so it's not a really good mass use.

Now sometimes I put it on things, just for like, it's kind of like, cool person, social proof, like look how cool we are with QR Codes, that nobody's going to use. A Twitter, and Facebook, and YouTube, and a QR Code, I don't know, I find it's kind of part of that proving how cool you are, and how techy you are, but you've got to, I guess, not rely on it, because I find-- it could be just me, you could be in a different situation, you might love QR Codes and have a good use for using them, but just make sure you're not 100% relying on it. I'll probably have a web address on there as well.

That's going to be the end of interact-- I've kind of shot you down in the last video. I felt like, let's do all this cool Publish Online, and then I kind of shot you down with the QR Code. You might love it, do QR codes. That's going to be it for interactive stuff for the moment. We're going to get into some shortcuts next. Let's go and do that now in Adobe InDesign. Sorry QRs.