3 Ways to Create QR Codes in Excel for Daily Work

May 30, 2025 - 4:32 PM

Excel is commonly used to manage data and lists in everyday work. When you need to quickly share links, print labels, or handle large amounts of information at once, creating QR codes directly in Excel helps save time and reduce manual steps.

Depending on your use case—quick creation, bulk generation, or long-term use—each method of creating QR codes in Excel serves a different purpose. In this article, iCheckQR summarizes 3 popular and easy-to-apply methods, along with comparisons and practical notes to help you choose the most suitable option.

1. Create QR Codes in Excel Using the QR4Office Add-in (Easiest Method)

Best for: Creating a few simple QR codes without automation requirements

Pros: Intuitive interface, fast operation, easy to resize

Cons: Not optimized for bulk QR generation, limited automatic updates

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Open your Excel file → Select the Insert tab → Click Get Add-ins

Step 2: Search for QR4Office → Click Add to install

Step 3: The QR4Office panel appears on the right side of the screen

Step 4:

Select the data type (URL, Text, Email, Phone, etc.)
Choose color and size
Click Insert → The QR code will be inserted into the worksheet

Tip: After inserting, you can resize the cell to make the QR code clearer when printing.

2. Automatically Create QR Codes in Excel Using the IMAGE Formula + Google API

Best for: Creating simple QR codes that automatically update based on data

Pros: Fast, no add-ins required, supports bulk creation

Cons: Depends on Internet connection and Google API availability

How to do it step by step

Step 1: Enter the content you want to encode into a cell (e.g., cell A1)

Step 2: In the adjacent cell (e.g., B1), enter the formula:

=IMAGE("https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?chs=150x150&cht=qr&chl=" & A1)

Step 3: Press Enter → The QR code will appear

Step 4: Drag the formula down to generate QR codes in bulk

Formula explanation (simple)

chs=150x150: QR code size
cht=qr: QR Code format
chl: Content to be encoded (taken from cell A1)

Note: If the QR code does not display, check:

Internet connection
Invalid links or special characters in the cell

3. Create QR Codes & VietQR in Excel Using MyExcel (Professional Solution)

Best for: Regular work tasks and creating bank transfer QR codes (VietQR) directly in Excel

How to install MyExcel (one-time setup)

1. Visit https://myexcel.vn/ and download the MyExcel add-in

2. Open Excel → Select Enable Editing and Enable Content

3. Close and reopen Excel to activate the add-in

How to create a basic QR code

Step 1: Enter the content to encode (e.g., cell A1)

Step 2: In the adjacent cell, enter the formula: =QR(A1)

Step 3: Press Enter → The QR code appears instantly

Create VietQR bank transfer codes (only available with MyExcel)

Step 1: Prepare transfer details: bank name, account number, amount (optional), and transfer description

Step 2: Select Create QR Code → Create Bank Account QR Code

Step 3: Enter the VietQR formula according to MyExcel syntax in a cell → Press Enter
→ The VietQR code appears directly in the worksheet

Step 4: Scan the QR code with a banking app to verify the pre-filled amount and transfer details

When scanning a VietQR code, the banking app automatically fills in the correct account number, amount, and transfer content—making payments faster and reducing input errors.

4. Comparison of 3 Ways to Create QR Codes in Excel – Which One Should You Use?

Before creating QR codes in Excel, it’s helpful to compare common methods to choose the best option based on workload, automation level, and actual use cases.

Criteria	QR4Office	IMAGE + Google API	MyExcel
Ease of use	Very easy, beginner-friendly	Medium, requires formulas	Easy, simple syntax
Bulk QR generation	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Auto-update when data changes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Long-term stability	Medium	Internet-dependent	High
VietQR bank transfer support	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Best use case	A few quick QR codes	Large QR lists	Frequent work, payments

5. How to Create QR Codes in Bulk in Excel with Just One Drag

Step 1: Prepare your data properly to avoid QR errors

One row = one QR content
Remove unnecessary spaces
Check links, special characters, and Vietnamese diacritics

Step 2: Generate QR codes in bulk by dragging the formula

Enter the QR formula in the first row
Drag it down across the list
QR codes are generated automatically and simultaneously

Step 3: Notes for printing and sharing bulk QR codes

Do not resize QR images too small
Test-scan before printing
Align margins and cell sizes consistently

Quick checklist before printing QR codes

QR code is scannable
Content is correct
Size is large enough
Not blurry or pixelated

6. Common Mistakes When Creating QR Codes in Excel

During the process of creating and using QR codes in Excel, some small but common issues can cause QR codes to fail or display incorrectly if not carefully checked.

QR code not scannable due to incorrect links → Check URLs, remove extra spaces and special characters
QR code does not update when content changes → Avoid static image QR codes; use formulas or automatic QR functions
QR image not loading from Google API → Check Internet connection or use tools that don’t rely on external APIs
Blurry QR codes when printing in bulk → Avoid excessive resizing and keep cell sizes consistent

Conclusion

Through this article, you’ve learned multiple ways to create QR codes in Excel—from simple add-ins and automatic formulas to professional tools that support VietQR. Depending on your needs—quick creation, bulk generation, or payment-related use-you can choose the most suitable method to improve work efficiency.

If you need more flexible QR code management, such as tracking scan counts or editing content without recreating QR codes, consider iCheckQR-a professional QR code creation and management solution suitable for both businesses and long-term personal use.