# App download QR code generator

> Make a QR code that sends people to your app. Encode a store link, or one smart landing page that routes iPhone and Android users correctly. Free.

Source: https://qr-code-build.com/app-store-qr-code-generator/  
Last reviewed: 2026-08-24  
Publisher: QR Code Builder

## Summary
An app QR code encodes a link to your app's store page. Because iOS and Android use different stores, a single code should point at one landing page that detects the visitor's device and redirects to the correct store, rather than at either store directly.

## How one code serves both platforms
A QR code holds one address. To serve both stores, that address has to be a page that makes the decision. Three ways to build it, in order of effort:

| Method | Effort | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A page on your own site with device detection | Low | Twenty lines of JavaScript; full control, no third party |
| Firebase Dynamic Links or a similar service | Medium | Adds deferred deep linking — the app opens on the right screen after install |
| Direct store link | None | Only if your app is genuinely one-platform |

The minimum viable version:

```
const ua = navigator.userAgent;
if (/iPhone|iPad|iPod/.test(ua)) location.replace(IOS_URL);
else if (/Android/.test(ua)) location.replace(PLAY_URL);
else location.replace(WEB_URL);
```

Host that page on your own domain and the printed code outlives any service you might otherwise have depended on.

## Knowing the install came from the poster
Append campaign parameters to the store links behind the landing page, not to the QR code itself. Apple's App Store accepts `?pt=&ct=&mt=8` for App Analytics; Google Play accepts a `referrer` parameter that Play Console reports on.

Keeping those tags on the landing page rather than inside the code has a second benefit: the encoded URL stays short, so the printed grid stays coarse and scannable from a distance.

## Frequently asked questions
### Can one QR code work for both the App Store and Google Play?
Not directly — a code holds one address. Point it at a landing page on your own domain that detects the device and redirects.

### Should I use a service like Firebase Dynamic Links?
Only if you need deferred deep linking. For a plain install, a page you host is simpler and does not depend on a product that may be discontinued.

### How do I track installs from a printed poster?
Put campaign parameters on the store links inside your landing page, and read the numbers in App Store Connect and Play Console.

### How big should a poster app code be?
Roughly one tenth of the intended scan distance. Two metres away means about 200 mm wide.

---
Licence: this page may be quoted with attribution to QR Code Builder (https://qr-code-build.com/app-store-qr-code-generator/).