How to Turn a QR Code Into an Apple Wallet Pass

To turn a QR code into an Apple Wallet pass, the code has to become the barcode on a signed .pkpass file. You can preview the result with the free QR code to wallet pass tool, which runs in your browser: upload a picture of the code or type its value, choose a format and check the preview. To create the real, signed pass for Apple Wallet and Google Wallet you start a free trial of a platform, or sign the file yourself with Apple's tools. This guide explains the steps, what a QR code can and cannot do on a pass, and the quick alternative on iOS 27.

What "turn a QR code into a pass" really means

A QR code is only a picture of a value, such as a URL, a member number or a ticket ID. A wallet pass is a signed package that contains that value as its barcode, plus the branding and fields around it. So you are not converting the picture. You are putting its value into a pass, and Wallet draws a fresh code from it.

That has two consequences:

1. You need the value, not the image. If you only have a picture, a tool has to read the value from it first. The free tool does this in your browser.
2. The pass must be signed. Apple Wallet only adds passes that are signed with a certificate tied to a Pass Type ID (Apple: Building a pass). A plain image or PDF cannot be added to Wallet as a pass.

Step by step: using the free tool and a platform

1. Open the QR code to wallet pass tool. Upload a picture of your QR code or barcode, or type the value.
2. Choose the code format. The tool offers QR, Code 128, PDF417 and Aztec. Keep the format your scanner already reads.
3. Add a title and a colour, then check the preview. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
4. Start a free trial to create the signed pass for Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. This is the step where a certificate is needed. A platform that signs with its own certificate, such as Shakewell Wallet, means you do not need an Apple Developer account (Apple Wallet setup).
5. Issue the pass and share the install link or signup QR code with customers.
6. Test it. Add the pass to an iPhone and scan its barcode with the scanner you will use.

Which barcode formats Apple Wallet supports

Apple's pass format supports QR, Aztec, PDF417 and Code 128 barcodes. At WWDC26 Apple added EAN-13, Code 39, Codabar and ITF for iOS 27 (Apple: What's new in Wallet, WWDC26). Apple advises supplying barcodes in priority order, because earlier versions of iOS do not support the new formats. If you supply only a new type and nothing else, the pass will not show a barcode on iOS 26 and earlier. In practice, put a QR or Code 128 barcode in the list as well.

What to put in the code

Encode an ID, not a person's details. A pass can be screenshotted or shared, so the code should look up a record in your system rather than contain the record. The value can be a member number, a coupon code or a URL. If your till or door system already scans a particular value, reuse it so the pass works with the hardware you have.

Two things catch people out:

• Static codes are easy to copy. If a code never changes, anyone with a screenshot can show it. Where that matters, make your scanner check the status of the ID, and expire passes that are no longer valid.
• Match the scanner. Test with the real device. A code that looks fine on screen can fail on a cheap scanner if it is too small or too low contrast.

The alternative on iOS 27: scan a physical card

iOS 27 adds a way for customers, not businesses, to turn a physical card with a barcode into a Wallet pass. Apple's support page says it requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later that supports Apple Intelligence, the latest iOS and visual intelligence turned on. You photograph the card, or open a photo or screenshot of a code, and tap Add Pass to Wallet (Apple Support).

That pass is created on the customer's phone from the code alone. It is not signed by you, cannot be updated by you, and cannot receive your messages. Apple also warns that rotating codes may expire. If you want a branded pass that you control, you still issue your own. See scanning a loyalty card into Apple Wallet.

Doing it yourself with Apple's tools

If you prefer to build the file, create a pass.json with a barcodes array, add the required images, produce the manifest, sign it and zip it as .pkpass. The pkpass format reference lists the files and fields, and the pkpass validator checks a finished file in your browser for missing images, invalid JSON and manifest problems. Our guide to Apple Wallet pass certificates covers signing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add any QR code to Apple Wallet? Not as a plain image. Wallet only adds signed passes. You can put the code's value into a pass, or, on a supported iPhone with iOS 27, create a basic pass from a photo of the code.

Is the QR code tool free? Yes, the preview is free and runs in your browser. Creating the signed pass needs a platform trial or your own certificate.

Will the pass work on Android? Android uses Google Wallet. A platform can issue both from the same value. See how to add a loyalty card to Google Wallet.

Which barcode should I choose? Use the format your existing scanner reads. If you are starting fresh, QR is the safest default on a phone screen.

Why will my pass not add? The usual causes are a missing icon, an invalid signature or a bad manifest. Check the file with the pkpass validator.