The short answer
For a code that someone will hold in their hand, make it at least about 2 cm (about 0.8 inch) wide. Anything people read from farther away needs to be larger. The distance rule below shows how much larger.
Treat these numbers as a starting point. Glare, contrast and the amount of data in the code all affect how well a code scans, so test every printed code before you run a batch.
The distance rule of thumb
A common guide is that the scanning distance can be about 10 times the code's width. This is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee. Use it to work out the size you need once you know how far people will stand from the code.
Here is the arithmetic for two common cases:
- A sign that people read from 3 meters away, which is 300 cm. Divide 300 by 10 and you get 30 cm, so the code should be about 30 cm (about 12 inches) wide.
- A sign read from 10 feet away. Divide 10 by 10 and you get 1 foot, so the code should be about 1 foot (about 30 cm) wide.
The rule also works in reverse. A code 10 cm wide should scan from about 1 meter (100 cm). Remember that the quiet zone takes up room on the page too, so leave space for it when you lay out the sign.
Why more content needs a bigger code
A QR code is a grid of small squares called modules. The more data you put in, the more modules the code needs. At the same printed size, each module gets smaller, and smaller modules need a larger code to stay readable.
Long web addresses, long text and Wi-Fi codes with long network names and passwords all add data. Keep links short by using the shortest address that takes people to the right page. A less dense code can be printed smaller and still scan well.
Error correction also makes a code denser. The levels L, M, Q and H recover about 7%, 15%, 25% and 30% of damaged data, and higher levels add modules. Adding a logo raises the level to H automatically, so a code with a logo needs more room than the same code without one.
The quiet zone
The quiet zone is the blank margin around the code. The standard calls for a margin 4 modules wide. Many codes still scan with a smaller margin, but do not go below 2 modules.
Keep the margin empty, with no text, lines or photos in it, and count it when you plan the layout. A code pushed against an edge or a printed border leaves the scanner less clear space to find it.
Contrast and color
Dark modules on a light background scan most reliably, so use a dark foreground and a light background for print. Light-on-dark codes, often called inverted codes, do not scan on some older scanner apps.
Colors, gradients and dot shapes change how a code looks, and they can make it harder to scan. Keep the contrast strong and test each version you plan to print. You can set these options in custom QR code design. If a design will not scan, the page says so and suggests a fix, usually more contrast or a smaller logo.
File formats for print
Use SVG for print. It is a vector file, so it stays sharp at any size, from a business card to a yard sign. Send the SVG to your printer or sign shop when they accept it.
If your printer needs an image file instead, download a PNG at 2048 or 4096 pixels. Smaller PNG sizes are also available.
Surfaces and placement
Choose a matte finish where you can. Glossy paper and laminate can throw glare across the code and hide part of it.
Avoid tight curves and folds. A code wrapped around a bottle or cut across a crease can distort, so put it on a flat area. Place it at a comfortable height where a person can hold a phone steady and see the whole code. Good lighting helps, but avoid spots in deep shadow or direct sun glare.
Size by situation
These are the common cases. In each one, the distance rule tells you the size once you know how far people will stand from the code.
- Business card: The code is held in the hand, so start at the minimum and make it as large as your layout allows. A contact card code opens a save contact screen on current iPhone and Android phones.
- Flyer: Usually read in hand or on a table, so a size near the minimum often works. Keep the flyer flat and away from folds.
- Table tent: Read by people seated across a table, so measure that distance and apply the rule.
- Poster: Read from the spot where people stop to look. Measure that distance, not the distance from your desk.
- Yard sign: Read from the sidewalk or the road, so the distance can be large. Work out the real distance before you choose the size.
- Vehicle: Make the code large, put it on a flat area, and keep it where people can stand still to scan.
Print a test before you run
Always print a test at the real size and on the real material, then scan it with a few phones. The built-in camera app on current iPhones and Android phones scans QR codes, so no extra app is needed. Stand where people will stand, in the light they will have.
Test a few times before printing a large run. A code that scans on a screen may not scan on paper, and a code that scans from the desk may not scan from across the room.
Check the link or text before you print, because a static code cannot be edited after printing. See static vs dynamic QR codes for why that matters. The generator cannot change where a printed code points, count scans, or host files such as PDFs or menus. For a file, upload it somewhere you control, such as your website or a cloud drive, and make a code for that link.
Make one now
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