How to Make One QR Code for Both the App Store and Google Play
A QR code can only hold one link, but your app lives in two stores. Here’s how to make a single QR code that sends iPhone users to the App Store and Android users to Google Play — in about a minute, for free.
Short answer: point the QR code at a smart link instead of a store page. The smart link detects iOS or Android and redirects to the right store. You can make one free with our QR code generator — no signup.
Why a normal QR code doesn’t work for both stores
A QR code is just a link printed as a pattern. If you encode your App Store link, Android users who scan it land on a web page for an app they can’t install. Encode your Google Play link and you’ve lost every iPhone user instead.
The phone does all the work when it scans, so the fix is to give it a link that can decide where to go — a link that reads the device type and redirects from there.
Three ways to do it
Step by step
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Get your two store links
Copy your app’s App Store URL and Google Play URL. If you’re not sure where they are, see how to find your App Store and Google Play links.
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Turn them into one smart link
Paste both into the free App Store + Google Play QR code generator. It creates one short link that checks which phone opened it and sends the visitor to the matching store.
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Download the QR code
Download the code as a PNG for screens and social posts, or as an SVG for anything you print — SVG stays sharp at any size.
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Test it on real phones
Scan the code with an iPhone and an Android phone and check each opens the right store page. On a computer you should see a page with both store buttons.
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Print it with a clear call to action
Add a short line next to the code, such as “Scan to get the app”. Keep the white border around the code and print it at least 2 × 2 cm (0.8 in).
Want to know which QR code works best?
If you put your app on a poster, a flyer, packaging and a business card, a single code tells you nothing about which one people actually scan. With a free Tapthru account you can make a separate link and QR code for each place — all opening the same store pages — and compare scans, devices and countries side by side.
An account link can also be repointed later. If your app’s store page ever changes, you update the link and every QR code you’ve printed keeps working.
Frequently asked questions
Can one QR code really open both the App Store and Google Play?
Yes. The QR code holds a smart link, and the link checks whether the phone is an iPhone or Android before redirecting to the matching store.
Do people need a QR scanner app?
No. The built-in camera app on iPhones and on most Android phones scans QR codes. People just point the camera at the code and tap the link that appears.
What do iPad users see?
Recent iPads identify themselves as Mac computers when browsing, so they usually see the page with both store buttons and can tap App Store from there.
Does the smart link slow people down?
No noticeable delay — the redirect happens before any page loads.
Do I need to add anything to my app?
No. A smart link only sends people to your store pages, so there’s no SDK or code to add to your app.
Keep reading
One link. One QR code. Simple analytics.
Set up your first smart link in under a minute — free, no credit card.