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QR Code for App Downloads

One code that sends iPhone users to the App Store and Android users to Google Play — without printing two.

The difficulty with an app download code is that there are two stores. A code pointing at the App Store is useless to an Android user and vice versa. The solution is a single code pointing at a page that detects the device and forwards to the right store, so one printed code serves everyone. Printing two codes side by side works but roughly halves the scan rate, because people hesitate over which is theirs.

A real, working QR code

This code was generated on this page, in your browser. Point your phone camera at it — it opens this guide. Every code the generator makes works the same way.

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How to set it up

  1. 1
    Collect both store URLs

    Your App Store listing and your Google Play listing. You need both, even though only one code will be printed.

  2. 2
    Point the code at a routing page

    Use a landing page that detects the operating system and redirects accordingly. This is the part that turns two links into one code.

  3. 3
    Test on both platforms

    Scan with an iPhone and an Android phone. This is the one code type where testing on a single device tells you almost nothing.

  4. 4
    Label it clearly

    “Download the app” plus your app name. People are cautious about codes that install things, so say what it is.

Where it works best

Product packaging and inserts
In-store and window displays
Print advertising and flyers
Event stands and conference materials
Restaurant tables for ordering apps
Vehicle and delivery branding

Practical tips

Never print two codes side by side

It looks like the thorough option and performs worse. People stop to work out which one is theirs, and a good proportion give up.

Send them to the listing, not the download

App stores do not allow a direct download link, and would be a poor experience anyway. The store listing is the correct destination.

Use a dynamic code

App links change with rebrands, republishing and store migrations. A code on packaging outlives all of those.

Track scans by placement

Different codes for print, packaging and events show which channel actually drives installs, which store analytics alone will not tell you.

Frequently asked questions

Can one QR code serve both app stores?
Yes, by pointing it at a page that detects the device and forwards to the right store. The code itself holds one URL; the routing happens on arrival.
Can I link straight to the download?
No. Both stores require the install to happen through the store, so the listing page is the correct target.
What happens on a desktop?
A routing page should show both store links rather than guessing. Someone scanning from a laptop screenshot still gets something useful.
Should I use a deep link?
If the app is already installed, a deep link can open it at a specific screen. Make sure it falls back to the store listing for people who do not have it.

Create your QR code free

No account needed to generate and download. Dynamic codes and scan tracking are free to start.

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