The hidden cost of a text password
A short-let host sends the same three sentences dozens of times a month: network name, password, and "the router is behind the TV". Each message is small, but they arrive during dinner, during work, and at midnight, and every mistyped character produces another round trip.
A QR code that lives in the apartment removes the round trip: the guest scans it with the camera app they already have open.
Step 1: Separate the guest network from your own
If the router supports a guest network, use it. Your smart TV, doorbell and thermostat should stay on the main network; guests get the guest SSID with client isolation enabled.
Note the guest SSID, the password exactly as typed, and the security type. Changing the password between stays is optional; changing it after a guest you no longer trust is worth the two minutes.
Step 2: Make the code look like the flat, not like a sticker
Generate the code with the free WiFi QR generator, add your listing logo or a simple house mark, and keep the white padding. Download the PNG.
Three printed copies cover almost every flat: one in the welcome book, one on the fridge, one on a small label stuck to the router itself (the bravest guests go looking).
Step 3: Size and material
- Welcome book, read at arm's length: 4–5 cm wide
- Fridge magnet or sticker, scanned from 50 cm: 5 cm wide
- Router label, scanned from 20 cm: 3 cm wide
Print on matte paper or matte vinyl. Glossy laminate reflects ceiling lights and is the most common reason a printed code fails in a real apartment.
Step 4: Put it in the check-in flow
Order the welcome materials the way a guest experiences them: door code, then WiFi, then house rules. One line in your check-in message — "the WiFi code is on the fridge and page 2 of the welcome book" — is enough once the code exists.
Step 5: Keep it current at turnover
Add "regenerate WiFi code" to your cleaning checklist for the day you change the password or the router. Two minutes then saves a dozen messages later.
Frequently asked
Will the code work for both iPhone and Android guests?
Yes. Both camera apps scan WiFi codes natively. Guests tap the join prompt; nothing is installed.
What if my guest network hides the SSID?
A hidden network cannot be joined from a QR code reliably. Turn SSID broadcast on for the guest network — hiding it adds no meaningful security.
Can I reuse one code across two flats?
Only if they share the same guest network. Otherwise generate one per flat and print the flat name next to the code.