Audio guides
Put a code on each exhibit label, city-walk stop or winery station and let visitors listen at their own pace, on their own phone.
Audio QR code
MP3 and Audio QR Code Generator
An MP3 QR code turns any printed surface into something people can listen to. Upload a sound file, print the code, and every scan opens a simple audio player in the phone's browser – no app, no account for the listener.
- Upload an MP3 file – we host it for you
- Plays in a built-in browser audio player
- Replace the recording later without reprinting
How to create an MP3 QR code
Audio codes are dynamic, because the sound file has to live somewhere. A free Qdestera account hosts it for you.
-
Prepare the recording
Export your audio as an MP3. Trim the silence at the start so listeners hear something the moment they press play.
-
Upload and name it
Choose MP3 as the QR type, upload the file and add a title. The title appears above the player, so make it say what people are about to hear.
-
Brand the page and the code
Add your colors, fonts, logo and link buttons to the player page. Then design the code with colors, a frame and your logo.
-
Print and listen
Download PNG, JPG, SVG or PDF. Scan the proof and listen once through the phone speaker and once with headphones.
What is an audio QR code?
A QR code cannot store sound – it only holds a small amount of data. An audio QR code holds a short link instead. The link opens a hosted page with an HTML5 audio player, the same kind of player that is built into every modern phone browser.
Listeners get the familiar controls: play, pause, a progress bar they can drag to skip ahead, and volume. Nothing starts playing on its own, so nobody gets surprised by sound in a quiet room.
People search for this as an MP3 QR code, audio QR code, sound QR code or voice QR code. They all describe the same thing: a printed code that plays a recording.
What people use audio QR codes for
Sound adds a voice to places where there is only room for a label.
Podcasts
Print an episode trailer on flyers, event badges or merchandise, and point the page's link button to your full show.
Voice messages on gifts
Record a birthday wish, a wedding toast or a message from grandparents and hide it behind a code on the card or gift tag.
Music promotion
Let a gig poster, a record sleeve or a T-shirt play a preview track – and swap it when the next single is out.
Language learning
Add pronunciation clips or listening exercises to worksheets. Our education page has more ideas for classrooms.
Spoken instructions
Offer a spoken version of printed safety notes, usage steps or a welcome message for guests who prefer to listen.
MP3 QR code or video QR code?
Both play media from a printed code. The difference is where the file lives and whether there is a picture.
| MP3 QR code | Video QR code | |
|---|---|---|
| Upload your own file | Yes | No |
| Needs a YouTube or Vimeo video | No | Yes |
| Plays in the phone's browser | Yes | Yes |
| Moving pictures | No | Yes |
| Uses your Qdestera storage | Yes | No |
| Replace the content without reprinting | Yes | Yes |
Replace the recording, keep the printed code
Every audio code is a dynamic QR code: the print holds a short link and the MP3 sits in your dashboard. Re-record a guide after an exhibition changes, update a promo when the album is out, or fix a mispronounced name – upload the new file and the next scan plays it.
Scans appear in QR code analytics by day, weekday and month, by country and city and by operating system. For an audio tour, that shows which stops people actually use. If you need moving pictures instead of sound, a video QR code embeds a YouTube or Vimeo video.
One recording per code
Each audio QR code plays one MP3 file. For a tour with several stops, create one code per stop and keep them together in a folder.
Storage and file size
Uploaded audio counts toward your plan's storage, and each upload has a size limit. Spoken recordings stay small; long music files grow quickly, so export at a sensible quality.
Good audio without a studio
Most audio QR codes are recorded on a phone, and that is fine. Write the script first and read it aloud once: sentences that look elegant on paper often trip the tongue, while short, spoken-style sentences are easy to follow.
Hold the phone a hand's width from your mouth and slightly to the side, so breaths and hard consonants do not hit the microphone. Record with the phone's voice recorder, cut the silence at both ends in a free audio editor and export the result as an MP3. If you add music, make sure you have the right to use it.
Tips for an audio QR code people enjoy
-
Record somewhere quiet
A closet full of clothes beats an echoing office. Phone speakers make background noise more obvious, not less.
-
Get to the point
People listen standing up. Say what they are hearing in the first sentence and keep each recording focused on one topic.
-
Even out the volume
Normalize the file in your audio editor so it is neither a whisper nor a shout on a phone speaker.
-
Invite people to listen
“Scan to hear the story of this painting” or “Scan to listen” next to the code makes clear it is audio, not a website.
-
Think about headphones
In museums, libraries or trains, a small “headphones recommended” note keeps everyone happy.
-
Test on iPhone and Android
Scan the printed proof, play the file to the end and try skipping ahead before you order the full print run.
Give your print a voice
Upload an MP3 on the free plan, print the code and replace the recording whenever you like.
How do I make a QR code that plays audio?
Sign up for free, choose the MP3 QR type, upload your MP3 file and download the code. Scanning it opens a page with an audio player that plays your recording.
Which audio formats are supported?
MP3. If your recording is a WAV, M4A or another format, convert it to MP3 in your audio editor or a converter before uploading.
Is there a file size limit?
Yes. Each upload has a size limit, and all files count toward your plan's storage. Speech recordings usually stay far below it; long, high-quality music files are the ones to watch.
Do listeners need an app?
No. The phone camera reads the code and the recording plays in the browser's built-in audio player.
Can I change the audio after printing?
Yes. Upload a new MP3 in your dashboard and every printed copy of the code plays the new recording from the next scan.
Can one QR code play several tracks?
Each audio QR code plays one MP3 file. Create one code per track, or join the tracks into a single file before uploading.
Does the audio start automatically?
No. Listeners press play. That keeps them in control and avoids sudden sound in quiet places.
Is the MP3 QR code free?
You can create one on the free plan with no credit card. Storage, the number of dynamic codes and the available QR types depend on the plan – see pricing.
Can I see how many people listened?
You see how many people scanned the code, when, and from which countries, cities and operating systems. Individual plays are not tracked.
Qdestera
Start free
Some things are better heard than read.
Create an audio QR code, swap the recording whenever you need to and see where people scan.