You’ve probably seen the screenshots by now. Link standing next to a literal army of Ganondorfs or a massive, gleaming monster truck that looks like it belongs in a different game entirely. Since the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom dropped, the community has been obsessed with one thing: TOTK autobuild QR codes.
It’s a game-changer. Honestly, back when the original game launched in 2023, we were all stuck manually explaining where to glue the fans and how many batteries a hoverbike needed. It was tedious. But now, with the Zelda Notes app, sharing designs is basically as easy as scanning a menu at a restaurant.
But here’s the thing. There is a lot of confusion floating around about how these codes actually work, where to find the "illegal" ones, and why some codes just... don't do anything when you scan them.
✨ Don't miss: Pokemon Go Adventure Week: Why Most Players Are Still Missing the Best Rewards
The Zelda Notes Revolution
Basically, Nintendo finally gave us what we wanted. If you’re playing the Switch 2 version of the game, you have access to a companion service called Zelda Notes. It’s part of the Nintendo Switch Online app on your phone.
The flow is simple:
- You build something crazy in-game.
- You save it to your Autobuild favorites.
- You "upload" that schematic to Zelda Notes.
- The app generates a unique QR code.
When your friend scans that code with their own phone, the blueprint pops up in their Zelda Notes app. From there, they hit "Send to Game," and the next time they open their Autobuild menu in Tears of the Kingdom, there’s a little plus sign waiting for them. One click and your creation is now their creation. It’s slick.
Why Some TOTK Autobuild QR Codes Are "Broken"
You’ve probably heard people talking about "broken" or "glitched" builds. This is where things get interesting. Most players are just sharing efficient ore-mining rigs or cool-looking planes. But the Hyrule Engineering crowd? They’ve taken it to a whole different level.
By using modded Switch 1 consoles to edit save files and then transferring those saves to the Switch 2, hackers have managed to inject "actors" into the Autobuild system that were never meant to be there. We’re talking about things like the Decayed Master Sword, shrine-exclusive objects, and even NPCs.
The Ganondorf Exploit
One of the most viral TOTK autobuild QR codes allows you to summon Demon King Ganondorf as if he were a Zonai device. He shows up with a full health bar and is usually hostile. If you’ve ever wanted to fight three Ganondorfs at once in the middle of Lookout Landing, that’s how people are doing it.
The downside? Nintendo is playing whack-a-mole. Since these QR codes are essentially just HTTP links to a Nintendo server, the Big N can—and does—deactivate links that lead to "illegal" data. If you scan a code and get an "Invalid Data" error, it’s not your phone. It’s just Nintendo’s janitors cleaning up the fun.
🔗 Read more: Doodle for Google Olympics: Why the 2021 Champion Island Game Changed Everything
Where to Find the Best Builds
If you’re looking for functional, high-quality blueprints that won't get you banned or crash your game, you’ve got to know where to look. The community has moved beyond simple Reddit threads.
HyruleWorks has become the de facto gold standard. It’s a dedicated site where creators like GodofDNA and CaptainPatPotato host their blueprints. You can find everything from the "Frox Wrangler" (a heavy-duty crawler designed for the Depths) to the "Kirov Airship," which uses balloons and stabilizers in ways that feel like they're defying the game's physics.
Then there’s the YouTube scene. Creators like 247MrNiceguy and Triforce Times regularly put out "code drops." They’ll showcase ten or twenty builds in a video, often with the QR codes right there on the screen. It’s worth pausing the video and scanning directly if you see something you like, because the "cool" ones tend to disappear fast.
✨ Don't miss: Finding Dioxite in No Man's Sky: What Most Players Get Wrong
The Actionable Stuff: How to Not Waste Your Time
Look, don't just scan every code you see on X (formerly Twitter). You’ll end up with a library full of junk.
- Check the Version: Most QR codes created for the Switch 2 Edition (v1.4.0 and up) are not backwards compatible with the original Switch 1 version of the game. If you’re still on the OG hardware, these codes are useless to you.
- Battery Costs: Some of these "Mega Mechs" look incredible, but they require a full 16-bar battery setup and a pile of Large Zonai Charges to run for more than ten seconds. Always check the "Parts List" in the app before sending it to your game.
- Save Your Favorites: Since Nintendo can kill these links at any time, the moment you successfully import a build into your game, manually save it to your Autobuild favorites. Once it’s in your local save file, it doesn’t matter if the original QR code goes dead. You’ve got it forever.
What’s Next for Hyrule Engineering?
The scene isn't slowing down. We're starting to see "modular" builds—sets of QR codes that are designed to be snapped together in-game. Imagine a "Base" code, a "Weapon System" code, and a "Flight Module" code. You summon all three, glue them together, and you have a custom fortress.
Honestly, the creativity of this community is terrifying. People are building working calculators and logic gates using Zonai stakes and mirrors. The QR code system just made it so the rest of us can actually use those genius inventions without needing an engineering degree.
The next step is easy. Head over to HyruleWorks or the HyruleEngineering subreddit. Look for the "Top of All Time" or "Weekly Showcase." Find a build that solves a problem for you—maybe a better way to farm Gleeok wings or a faster way to cross the Depths. Scan it, send it, and start experimenting. Just maybe stay away from the Ganondorf codes unless you're really ready for a fight.