After you've made your code
How to actually carry it
A QR code on your phone doesn't help anyone if your phone is what needs unlocking. Here's every way people make theirs physical, roughly ordered from free to "someone else makes it durable for you." Pick whichever fits what you've already got lying around.
Make it your lock screen
Download the QR image and set it as your phone's lock screen wallpaper. Most phones show the lock screen without unlocking, so anyone can scan it straight off the screen. Costs nothing, takes about a minute, and it's already on the one thing you're never without.
Print it and tape it
Print the downloaded QR image at home, trim it to wallet size, and cover both sides with clear packing tape. It's not pretty, but it's genuinely waterproof enough to survive a wallet for months.
Get it laminated
Most libraries, post offices, and copy shops laminate a small card for a dollar or two. Ask for a wallet-sized lamination pouch. This is what most people already do for things like vaccination cards, and it holds up the same way.
Order something durable
There's already a small industry of people selling "upload your own QR code" tags, keychains, and acrylic cards. You send them the QR image you downloaded, they engrave or print it onto something that'll outlast a laminated card. Prices for this kind of custom keychain typically run $5 to $25 depending on material.
- Search "custom QR code keychain" on Etsy or Zazzle for laser-engraved or acrylic options
- If you own a 3D printer, there's a free, ready-made QR keychain file on MakerWorld you can customize and print yourself
- For a proper medical ID bracelet if you have a condition that genuinely warrants one, MedicAlert and similar services sell QR-enabled bands, worth it specifically because they're built to survive daily wear for years