How to Add a QR Code in Canva

Two ways to add a QR code in Canva

Canva offers a QR code app that makes static codes for a link. You paste a web address inside Canva and the code is added to your design. For a quick code that will never change and does not need to be counted, that may be all you need.

A static code has two limits, though. The link is fixed in the pattern, so if the page moves or you spot a typo after printing, the code is wrong for good. And nobody can see how many people scanned it. If either matters, make a dynamic code here, download it as an image and upload it to Canva. The rest of this guide covers that route.

Which one to use

Step 1: create the QR code

1. Open the generator and choose what the code should open. A Website URL code works for any link. For a menu, a PDF or a contact card, choose the menu, PDF or vCard type instead.
2. Fill in the details and give the code a name you will recognize, such as "Summer flyer, Canva".
3. Choose the pattern color to match your design. Keep it dark. If your Canva design has a white or light area where the code will go, you can tick Transparent background so the code sits on the design without a white box.
4. Add a frame with a short call to action or your logo if you like, or leave the frame off and add the text in Canva instead.
5. Sign in with Google or your email. Creating the code is free.

Step 2: download the right file

For Canva, download the code as SVG or PNG. SVG is a vector file that stays sharp at any size, which makes it the best choice for print. PNG is a safe choice if you have trouble uploading the SVG; pick 2048 pixels so it stays sharp when you resize it. Both can have a transparent background. JPG always has a solid background, so it is only worth using if you need one.

Before the download starts, we read the finished image back to check that it scans. If the design does not pass, the download is blocked and you are asked to change it.

Step 3: upload the QR code to Canva

Canva's menus change from time to time. If you cannot find Uploads, look for an option to upload files or media in the side panel.

1. Open your design in Canva.
2. Open the Uploads section in the side panel and upload the SVG or PNG file you downloaded. You can also drag the file from your computer onto the editor.
3. Click the uploaded image, or drag it onto the page, to add it to your design.

Step 4: place and size the code

Resize the code by dragging a corner handle, so it keeps its square shape. Never drag a side handle, and never crop the image. Cropping removes the empty margin around the code, called the quiet zone, which scanners need to find it. The file already includes that margin.

Make the code large enough for the distance people will scan from: at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide on business cards and flyers, and about one tenth of the scanning distance on posters. The full chart is in QR code size for printing.

Step 5: keep contrast and space around it

• Place the code on a plain, light area of the design. Do not put it over a photo, a gradient or a busy pattern.
• If you used a transparent background, check what is behind the code. The generator cannot see your Canva background, so its contrast warning does not apply to transparent codes. A dark pattern needs a light background behind it.
• On a dark design, add a white rectangle behind the code that is a little larger than the code itself, or download the code with a white background instead.
• Keep text, lines and other elements out of the margin around the code.
• Do not apply Canva filters, effects, transparency or color adjustments to the code image. They can lower the contrast.
• Add a short line next to the code, such as "Scan for the menu" or "Scan to book", so people know what they get.

Step 6: test before you print

1. Download your finished design from Canva in the format you will print, for example a print-quality PDF.
2. Scan the code on the screen with an iPhone and an Android phone. If you prefer, take a screenshot of the code and drop it into our QR code scanner to read it on your computer.
3. Print one proof at the real size, on the real paper if you can, and scan it from the distance people will stand at.
4. Check that the right page opens. With a dynamic code, the confirmation screen after download also shows scans as they arrive, so you can see your test scan counted.

Change the link without touching the design

Because the code holds a short link, you never need to update the Canva design to change where it leads. Open My QR Codes, edit the destination, and every printed flyer and every copy of the Canva file opens the new page from the next scan. Keep the same image in your Canva templates and reuse it across designs.

If you need a different code for each version of a design, such as one for flyers and one for posters, make a separate code for each and give them clear names. The scan statistics then show which version works better. See how to track QR code scans.

Frame and call to action: here or in Canva

You can add the call to action in either place. A frame from the generator keeps the text and the code together as one image, so they never drift apart when you move things around. Adding the text in Canva gives you your own fonts and more control over the layout. Either way, keep the text outside the empty margin around the code, and make it short enough to read at a glance.

Common mistakes in Canva

• Stretching the code by dragging a side handle, which turns the squares into rectangles.
• Cropping the code to fit a tight space, which removes the quiet zone.
• Placing a transparent code on a dark or busy background.
• Using a small PNG and enlarging it for a poster. Use the SVG or a 2048 px PNG.
• Adding a large sticker or shape on top of the code.
• Sending the design to print without scanning a proof.

Questions