How to make a QR code treasure hunt
A QR code treasure hunt hides each clue inside a code, so players have to find it and scan it to know where to go next. It works for a child’s birthday in the garden, a school trip, a team-building day or a night in an escape room. This guide shows how to plan one, make the clues for free and hide codes that survive the weather.
By Aidan Lowson · Updated
Why use QR codes for a treasure hunt
- Clues stay secret. Nobody can read ahead, because the clue only appears when the code is scanned.
- Works with no signal. A text QR code stores the clue in the code itself, which is perfect for parks, woods and basements.
- Easy to reset. Print another set and you can run the same hunt again next year.
Plan your hunt
- Walk the route first and pick 6 to 10 hiding spots. Fewer for young children, more for adults.
- Write each clue to point to the next spot, ending at the prize. Write them in a list before you make any codes.
- Decide how players scan. One phone per team keeps groups together, and means you need fewer phones for children.
- Ask permission before hiding anything in shops, churches, parks or other people's property.
Make your clues in 4 steps
- Open the text QR code generator and type your first clue, like "I'm cold inside, but hold your favourite snack. Look in the freezer."
- Download a PNG and give it a name you'll recognise, like clue-1-freezer.png. Then type the next clue and repeat.
- For a stop out in the world, make a location QR code that opens the spot in Google Maps. Coordinates work well for a particular tree or bench.
- Scan every code in order before you print, to check the clues make sense and the trail ends at the prize.
Hunt ideas by age and occasion
- Young children: short picture clues ("Look under the 🛁") and a grown-up holding the phone. Emoji work in text codes.
- Birthday parties: end at the cake or the party bags, with one clue per guest so everyone gets a turn scanning.
- Schools and clubs: make each code a question, like a maths problem or a history fact, and its answer points to the next spot.
- Team days and stag or hen parties: a city route with location codes, with challenges like taking a team photo at each stop.
- Escape rooms: hide a code inside a locked box, behind a picture or on the back of a jigsaw, so it can only be scanned once the puzzle is solved.
- Easter egg hunts: a code on each egg with the next hiding place.
Printing and hiding the codes
- Print each code at least 4 x 4 cm, larger if players scan from a distance. Leave a white border around it.
- Use matt laminating pouches or a clear freezer bag outdoors. Glossy lamination reflects the sun and makes codes hard to scan.
- Set error correction to High, so a code still scans if it gets a bit muddy or creased.
- Hide codes at a child's height for young players, and never near roads or water.
- Keep a master list of where each code is hidden, so you can collect them all afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Do QR code treasure hunts need the internet?
Not if you use text QR codes. The clue is stored in the code, so it shows with no signal at all. Location codes and links do need a connection to open the map or page.
Which phones can play?
Any smartphone with a camera that reads QR codes, which is almost all iPhones and Android phones from the last several years. If a camera only shows a preview of the text, tap it or use a free scanner app to see the whole clue.
How do I stop players skipping ahead?
Hide each code where the previous clue says, and do not number the codes on the outside. Players only find the next code by solving the clue in front of them.
How long should each clue be?
A sentence or two. Short text makes a small, easy-to-scan code. If you need a long story, split it across several codes.
Create your treasure hunt clues now, free →
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