How Tos

How to turn your photos into Animal Crossing: New Leaf QR codes

With free iPhone app QR MyDesign Assistant

How to turn your photos into Animal Crossing: New Leaf QR codes

In the Animal Crossing games, you've always been allowed to design your own clothes, signs, carpets, and posters.

In the 3DS game Animal Crossing: New Leaf, however, there's even an option for those of us without any artistic talent.

With the new QR code reader, found in The Able Sisters shop, you can immediately import textures and textiles from other, more talented villagers.

The creator of iOS app QR MyDesign Assistant has borrowed this handy new feature to help you turn any photograph or image into an Animal Crossing-compatible code. Here's how to use it in a few easy steps.

Hat tip to Tiny Cartridge for finding the app.

Animal Crossing New Leaf Download the free iPhone app QR MyDesign Assistant. You can get it on the App Store here. It isn't made for the iPad, but it still works as intended on a tablet.
Animal Crossing New Leaf Choose the 'Convert' tab at the bottom of the screen, then hit the 'Pick' button in the top-right corner. You can choose 'MyDesign' to make a floor, sign, or item of clothing. Or you can choose 'Board' to make a custom face cutout standee.
Animal Crossing New Leaf Choose a picture from your iOS photo library. Simple and clear images with not many colours work best. You can then crop the image to import just a specific part of the picture.
Animal Crossing New Leaf Here's what it will look like in the game. You can give it a name, and then hit 'to QR' to see your code. Get the code up on the screen of your phone, and then dig out your 3DS.
Animal Crossing New Leaf Load up Animal Crossing: New Leaf, head to Main Street, and enter the Able Sisters clothes shop. Now, to gain access to the QR code reader (a.k.a. the sewing machine), you'll need to have befriended Sable. This means talking to her every day for about a week or two (to finally coax her out of her shyness). Once Sable becomes your pal, you'll see a big old machine in the back of the room (like in the screenshot above).
Animal Crossing New Leaf Done that? Okay, cool. Use the machine and choose 'Read a QR Code'. You'll also need to choose a spot in your texture library to save the custom design. Then, point the 3DS camera at your phone, and line the QR code up with the frame.
Animal Crossing New Leaf And you're done. You'll now have your photo in your design library, and can use it wherever you want. Here, I've stuck a photo of Mario on my town flag. Because why the bloody hell not.
Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer