What is a Pix key?
A Pix key is your account's alias in the DICT, the Central Bank of Brazil's identifier directory. Instead of giving bank, branch and account numbers, the payer uses the key and the system finds the linked account. There are five types: CPF, CNPJ, email, mobile phone and random key (EVP), a 36-character code generated by the bank. A static Pix QR code contains the key; so the first step to generating the code is finding out which key is registered and in what format.
Where the key appears in each app
The paths below are the usual ones; apps change layout often, but the key is always in the Pix area. All of them offer an option to copy the key, which avoids typos.
| App | Usual path |
|---|---|
| Nubank | Pix area on the home screen → "Minhas chaves" (or "Receber" → key shown with a copy button) |
| Itaú | Pix menu → "Minhas chaves" or "Cadastrar/gerenciar chaves" |
| Bradesco | Pix → "Minhas chaves"; also under "Receber" with the key's QR code |
| Banco do Brasil | Pix → "Minhas chaves" → pick the account to see its registered keys |
| Caixa | Pix → "Minhas chaves" (the Pix area is in the app's main menu) |
| Inter | Pix → "Minhas chaves" or "Receber" → key with a copy button |
| PicPay | Pix → "Minhas chaves" or "Receber com Pix" → registered key |
| Mercado Pago | Pix → "Minhas chaves" or "Cobrar" → "Chave Pix" |
How to type the key into the generator
| Type | How the app shows it | How it goes in the code |
|---|---|---|
| CPF | 529.982.247-25 | 52998224725 |
| CNPJ | 11.222.333/0001-81 | 11222333000181 |
| Phone | (11) 91234-5678 | +5511912345678 |
| Nome@Exemplo.com | nome@exemplo.com | |
| Random | 123e4567-e12b-12d1-a456-426655440000 | the same, in lowercase |
You can paste the key exactly as the app shows it, with dots, parentheses and dashes: the generator normalizes it on its own and shows the detected type right below the field. If you see "Invalid CPF" or "format not recognized", check it digit by digit; those warnings come from the check-digit calculation, not from a bank lookup.
Worked example
Maria has a phone number registered as a key in her banking app, shown as (11) 91234-5678. She pastes the number into the generator, which shows "Key detected: Phone → +5511912345678". With the name Maria da Silva and the city Curitiba, no amount, the generated code is 00020126360014br.gov.bcb.pix0114+55119123456785204000053039865802BR5914Maria da Silva6008Curitiba62070503***63046947. Whoever scans it will see the name registered at Maria's bank and enter the amount.
Which key to choose for the QR code
- Random key: the best for signs, websites and social media. It reveals no personal data and can be deleted and recreated if it leaks.
- Email: good for businesses and freelancers; easy to remember and to check on screen.
- CNPJ: the natural choice for companies, because it is already public information and makes bookkeeping easier.
- CPF and phone: handy among people you know, but they stay readable in any code you publish. Anyone can extract them with a decoder.
After finding the key
Paste the key into the form on this page, fill in the name and city and generate the code. For a counter sign see Pix QR code for shops; to charge a set amount see Pix QR code with amount; to send the code by message use Pix copia e cola. If you just want to check the key first, use the Pix key validator.
References
Central Bank of Brazil (BCB), Pix: questions and answers and key types; key format in the code per the Manual de Padrões para Iniciação do Pix.