Is the password recoverable later?

Only if you save it. The generator does not store anything between sessions. Once you close the tab, the password is gone unless you have written it down, stored it in a password manager, or shared it with the recipient, or your clipboard history kept the copy you made in step 3.

How long should the password be?

Twenty characters with mixed case, digits, and symbols gives strong protection against guessing and brute-force attacks. For service accounts or master passwords, push that closer to 32.

Why use a QR code instead of typing or messaging?

A QR code shown on screen and scanned by a phone keeps the password out of chat logs and email backups. The copy step does put it on your clipboard, so on Windows it can be saved to clipboard history and, if sync is on, uploaded to the cloud clipboard. Work in a private window: Chrome, Edge, and Firefox leave copies made there out of both. The handoff itself happens once, in person.

What if the recipient is remote?

Use an end-to-end encrypted messenger and send the password as a disappearing message. The QR-code method works best for in-person handoffs.

Generate and hand off a password by QR code

By the inyourbrowser.com editorial team · Reviewed and tested September 30, 2026

A workflow for sharing a one-off password with a colleague sitting next to you: generate something strong, encode it as a QR code on screen, and let the recipient scan it with their phone. The password stays out of chat, email and paper notes. Both tools run in your browser.

You will need

Password generator to create a strong random string
QR code generator to render the password as a scannable code

Step-by-step instructions

Create a random password in a new tab, ideally in a private window (step 3 explains why): set the length to 20 characters or longer and tick the boxes for lowercase, uppercase, digits, and symbols.
Generate the password. If you want something easier to type for any later manual entry, untick symbols and raise the length to 24 or more, then regenerate.
Click the copy button next to the generated string. The password now sits on your clipboard for the next step. In a normal window on Windows, clipboard history (Win+V) also keeps a copy if it is turned on, and cloud clipboard sync, if you use it, uploads one; Chrome, Edge, and Firefox private windows leave copies out of both. Apple's Universal Clipboard can pass the copy to your other Apple devices, and a clipboard manager may store it.
Turn it into a QR code in another tab: choose Plain text and paste the password into the text box. A QR code should appear immediately.
Increase the QR code size if needed so it fills a good portion of the screen. A larger code scans faster and tolerates camera shake.
Have your recipient point their phone camera at the screen. Their camera app should pop up a preview of the decoded text. They can paste it straight into the destination app or password manager.
Close both browser tabs once the handoff is confirmed. Copy something else (for example, a single space) to overwrite the password on your clipboard. That replaces only the current clipboard: if you used a normal window on Windows, also delete the entry from clipboard history (Win+V), and from any clipboard manager you use.

Expected output and how to verify

The recipient's phone should display the exact same password the generator produced. To verify, have them read out the first and last four characters and check them against the generator window. If they match, paste the password into the destination service and confirm login. Once that works, close both tabs and clear the clipboard.

Common pitfalls

Leaving the QR code on screen after the handoff means anyone walking past can scan it. Close the tab as soon as the recipient has the password.
Very long passwords produce dense QR codes that are harder to scan in low light. 20 to 32 characters is a comfortable sweet spot.
If the recipient's camera struggles, increase screen brightness and the QR size, and ask them to hold the phone about 20 centimetres away.

Variations

For a Wi-Fi password, switch the QR code generator to Wi-Fi and fill in the network name (SSID), security type and password; the recipient's phone then offers to join the network directly. For shared service credentials, generate two passwords, hand off the second one immediately and rotate the first a week later so any historical exposure is short-lived.

Frequently asked questions

Is the password recoverable later?: Only if you save it. The generator does not store anything between sessions. Once you close the tab, the password is gone unless you have written it down, stored it in a password manager, or shared it with the recipient, or your clipboard history kept the copy you made in step 3.
How long should the password be?: Twenty characters with mixed case, digits, and symbols gives strong protection against guessing and brute-force attacks. For service accounts or master passwords, push that closer to 32.
Why use a QR code instead of typing or messaging?: A QR code shown on screen and scanned by a phone keeps the password out of chat logs and email backups. The copy step does put it on your clipboard, so on Windows it can be saved to clipboard history and, if sync is on, uploaded to the cloud clipboard. Work in a private window: Chrome, Edge, and Firefox leave copies made there out of both. The handoff itself happens once, in person.
What if the recipient is remote?: Use an end-to-end encrypted messenger and send the password as a disappearing message. The QR-code method works best for in-person handoffs.