QR code - Raw Content - Plain Text

Is the RAW CONTENT feature of the QR code generator only for URLs? If it also works for PLAIN TEXT, how does that work? Anything I type in RAW CONTENT goes to a browser.

I’m guessing it’s whatever you’re using to scan the QR code. I’ve just tested and it reads as simple text, no added http or www or anything like that.

I typed “plain text” in RAW CONTENT, scanned the code with my iPhone and it took me to a Google search for “plain text.”

Here’s what I get with two different apps on Android:


As you can see it’s just plain text. Whatever app you’re using on your iPhone clearly thinks it knows better!

Here’s the QR code I created in LB:

Hope this helps.

The iPhone app likely just defaults for doing a web search for any plain text. There’s no URL for doing a google search on those terms.

You could prove this out by changing the default search engine on Safari and rescanning the code. It very likely will go to the new search engine instead of a google page.

Thank you.

My thoughts exactly. However you can encode a Google search in a URL

Here’s a QR that does just that:

You’re welcome. I hope it clarifies what you’re experiencing.

Evidently the iPhone only takes you to a browser search when anything is typed into RAW CONTENT. I had trouble understanding the Apple support rep I talked with, but that’s what I got out of it. What I wanted to do is create a QR code that explains some details about an item I have displayed at a craft show. Sounds like that would not work very well unless I created links to individual items on my website.

Makes me wonder about any practical use of “plain text.” Just call it “URL.”

Out of interest what happens when you scan this with your iPhone?

Ok, thanks for trying. I had hoped it would open in a browser. It’s just a very simple html file that I placed on my Google Drive and shared. It should look something like this:

EDIT: Let me have a bit more of a play…

Thank you for helping me understand the situation. I now know what to do, or not do.

Ok, what happens if you scan this one?

On an Android phone I get “A Title” “A Subtitle” a block of text followed by an image.

Thanks Chris, that’s what I was hoping. I had planned to upload a screenshot but hadn’t got around to it yet. I’m hoping that something like this might be a workable solution for @DougBF to display information about his items.

Here’s the screenshot:

OK. That last QR code worked for me. So you don’t actually enter the text into the Lightburn RAW CONTENT box? A PDF has to be placed somewhere that it can be shared, and a link is what is placed in the RAW CONTENT box in Lightburn??

Yes, that’s what I came up with, but wasn’t sure how/whether it would work for iPhone users.

As you worked out, I created a test PDF and saved it to my Google drive (I expect you could use any cloud service that allows you to share files). I copied the share link into the QR code text. Obviously my first attempt using HTML didn’t work for you so I thought I’d try PDF next. It’s really easy to use any word processor etc. to create the PDF and the great thing is you have a lot of freedom to make it look really good, with font formatting and images etc.

Hopefully this is a workable solution. If I think of an easier way I’ll let you know.

I tried using Dropbox, and that worked. To call it RAW CONTENT is misleading since a link is what actually has to be placed there. Thank you again !!!