Location / Geo QR
A QR code for a map location — and why a plain link is often more reliable.
Latitude
Longitude
How this processes your file
Latitude and longitude are encoded as a geo: URI per RFC 5870 — decimal degrees, latitude first, no spaces. The honest caveat is support rather than syntax. Android handles geo: directly and opens the map at the pin. iOS frequently does not, falling back to a web search for the literal text, which is a confusing outcome for whoever scanned it. So for a code that will be printed and left somewhere, a plain maps URL is usually the better choice even though it is longer and less elegant, and that is said here rather than left for someone to discover from a sign on a wall.
What the results mean
- geo:
- RFC 5870. Latitude then longitude in decimal degrees, no spaces.
- Android
- Opens the map at the coordinates directly.
- iOS
- Often falls back to a search rather than opening Maps, which is why a URL is frequently more reliable.
- No place name
- A geo: URI carries coordinates only. The scanner shows a pin, not a labelled destination.
Common problems and fixes
- It searches instead of opening the map
- That is iOS handling geo: poorly. Use a maps URL instead if the audience is on iPhone.
- My coordinates are rejected
- A space from a pasted 'lat, lon' pair, or the values in the wrong order — latitude comes first and is between -90 and 90.
- Can I include a place name?
- Not in a geo: URI. A maps URL can carry one, which is another reason to prefer it for anything public.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use geo: or a maps link?
A maps link, for anything printed and left in public. geo: is cleaner and shorter but iOS support is unreliable, and a sign that fails for half its readers is worse than an inelegant one that works.
What order do the coordinates go in?
Latitude first, then longitude, separated by a comma with no space. Latitude ranges from -90 to 90 and longitude from -180 to 180, which is how to check you have not swapped them.
Does it show a place name?
No. The geo: scheme carries coordinates only, so a scanner drops a pin with no label.