How to find and use Animal Crossing: New Horizons QR codes

If you’re one of the 13.41 million people who purchased Animal Crossing: New Horizons, surely you’ve heard of QR codes. They are a fun and exciting way to bring new designs to your island (and other people’s islands as well if you’re willing to share) and the perfect way to customize items. In my recent endeavors to find the best QR codes out there, I’ve learned that it’s easy once you know where to look. Which is why I’m bringing them to you! In this article we’ll discuss my favorite spots to find QR codes and how to use them.

Reddit’s r/ACQR

The subreddit r/ACQR has been, by far, my favorite place to find QR codes. The community has over 175,000 members who post their own designs for you to use including flower paths, clothing, album artwork for walls, doormats to place in front of your villagers’ houses, and even animals to add to the “pet bed” item.

Accessing QR Code Designs in Animal Crossing

So how do you actually get these designs in your game? Simply follow these steps: First, make sure your Nintendo Switch is connected to the internet. Head on over to the Able Sisters store. In the back of the store is the Custom Designs Portal. Press A > Access the kiosk.

The next step depends on whether you see a Design ID or Creator ID in the Reddit post you’re interested in. Creator ID’s begin with the letters MA, and will allow access to all of that creator’s designs. Design ID’s begin with MO, and will allow access to a specific design. It’s up to the creator to decide which they’d like to share. Select whichever applies, and simply enter the code. Then select a slot to save the design in. You are now free to use the QR code for anything that is customizable in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Have fun with it!

This Custom Designs Portal method can also be used when sharing designs between friends or on forums by exchanging Design ID’s or Creator ID’s. Animal Crossing Closet has tons of clothing options to choose from as well.

Animal Crossing Pattern Tool

This tool is absolutely perfect for anyone who already has images that they would like to integrate into their island, but is having a hard time duplicating the designs. It provides you with a larger view of the grid to make creating your own designs even simpler. Or, even better, you can choose the Convert+ option. This allows you to upload any image saved on your computer. It automatically converts the design for you. Adjust/crop the picture to your liking, select Convert once more, then Generate QR Code.

If you don’t have pictures of your own to use, you can browse the site’s designs as well. Here’s how to scan the QR code:

Download the Nintendo Switch Online app on your iOS or Android device. Follow the instructions within the app to connect your Nintendo Switch to your phone, You’ll only have to do this once.

Then, under Game Specific Services, select Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Select Designs > Scan a QR code. Your camera should pop up with a QR scanner.

Next, in the game, press ZL to access your cell phone > Custom Designs > press “+” > Download. The QR code captured on your phone should appear.

This Nintendo Switch Online method can also be used for things like the Getty Museum’s Animal Crossing Art Generator, where you can download artwork from their gallery of favorites or on Animal Crossing Paths, a resource dedicated to pathway designs.

Congratulations! You now know two different methods of downloading QR codes in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Here’s my latest “Starbucks” café kiosk created using the Custom Designs Portal method.

What are you planning on doing first with QR codes? There are so many options to choose from (I really hope that Nintendo eventually expands the maximum number of design slots) and endless opportunities for what you can create! If you get tired of all that crafting and need a break, relax, sit back and do as Stitches would: