QR Code Size for Printing

The short answer

For anything held in the hand, such as a business card, a flyer or a product label, print the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide. For anything read from further away, use the common rule of thumb: the code should be about one tenth of the scanning distance. A poster read from 2 meters needs a code around 20 cm wide.

These are minimums for a well-designed code with good contrast. If you have space, go larger. A bigger code scans faster, from more angles and with older phones.

QR code size by scanning distance

Why the 10:1 rule works

A phone camera needs to see each small square of the code, called a module, clearly enough to tell dark from light. The further away the code, the smaller each module looks. Dividing the distance by ten keeps the modules large enough for most phone cameras in normal light.

The rule assumes an average code. A code with more modules needs to be larger. The number of modules depends on how much data the code holds: a long web address written directly into a static code can have twice as many modules as a short link. That is one practical reason to use a dynamic code for print. Its pattern holds only a short link, so it stays simple and scans well at small sizes. More on this in Dynamic vs static QR codes.

Treat the rule as a starting point, not a guarantee. Bad light, a steep viewing angle or a reflective surface all call for a larger code.

Keep the quiet zone

Every QR code needs an empty margin around it, called the quiet zone. Scanners use it to find where the code starts and ends. The standard asks for a margin of four modules on every side.

The codes you download here already include that margin, and frames are drawn outside it. The risk comes later, in the layout: a designer crops the white edge to save space, places the code right against a photo, or lets a line of text run into it. Leave the margin alone, and if you put the code on a colored or busy background, keep a light box behind it that includes the margin.

Contrast and colors

Phones look for the difference between dark and light modules. The safest choice is a dark pattern on a white or very light background. Brand colors work well as long as the pattern is clearly darker than the background.

The generator warns you when the contrast between pattern and background is low, and when the colors are inverted, with a light pattern on a dark background. Some phones read inverted codes and some do not, so avoid them for print.

• Avoid light colors such as yellow, light gray or pastel tones for the pattern.
• Avoid gradients that fade into the background color.
• Do not print the code over a photo. Put it on a plain light area.
• If you add a logo, keep it in the middle and not too large. We check every design by reading it back before you download it, and block the download if it does not scan.

PNG, JPG or SVG

SVG is a vector format. It stays perfectly sharp at any size, from a sticker to a banner, and it is the format printers and designers prefer. Use it whenever your design software or print shop accepts it.

PNG and JPG are pixel images. You can download them at 512, 1024 or 2048 pixels wide. PNG can have a transparent background, which is useful in documents and slides. JPG always has a solid background, and is mainly for tools that accept nothing else.

Resolution: how large can a PNG be printed?

For sharp print, plan on about 300 pixels per inch (DPI). Divide the pixel width by 300 to get the largest size in inches that stays sharp:

• 512 px: about 4.3 cm (1.7 in) at 300 DPI.
• 1024 px: about 8.7 cm (3.4 in) at 300 DPI.
• 2048 px: about 17 cm (6.8 in) at 300 DPI.

Which size to download

For business cards, flyers and table cards, a 1024 or 2048 px PNG is plenty. For posters, signs, banners and anything larger than about 17 cm, use the SVG. Large prints viewed from a distance can get away with fewer pixels per inch, but there is no reason to take the risk when the SVG is available.

Never enlarge a small PNG by stretching it in a layout program, and never take a screenshot of a code and print that. Both blur the edges of the modules. Download the file again in the size or format you need instead: you can do that from My QR Codes at any time.

Very small codes on labels and packaging

Sometimes 2 cm is more space than you have, for example on a small bottle label or a jewellery tag. Codes can be printed smaller, but every millimeter you remove makes them more sensitive to the printer, the material and the phone. If you have to go below 2 cm, a few things help:

• Use a dynamic code. Its short link gives the fewest, largest modules for a given size.
• Skip the logo and decorative patterns. Plain square modules in black on white survive small sizes best.
• Print at high resolution from the SVG, so module edges stay crisp.
• Test with older phones as well as new ones. Newer cameras focus closer and may hide a problem.

Printing on different materials

• Glossy paper and lamination reflect light and can hide part of the code. Matte finishes scan more reliably, especially under bright ceiling lights.
• Curved surfaces, such as bottles and cups, bend the code. Make it larger and place it where the curve is gentlest.
• Fabric, wood and cardboard soak up ink and blur fine detail. Make the code larger than usual and keep a simple pattern.
• Outdoor signs fade in the sun. Use dark, durable inks and check the code again after a few months.
• Engraving and embossing need strong contrast between the engraved and plain areas. Test a sample first.
• Stickers on glass need a light background behind the code, because the view through the glass changes.

Check before you print the whole run

1. Create your code and give it a name that says where it will be printed.
2. Download the file in the right format: SVG for large or professional print, PNG at 2048 px for smaller items.
3. Place it in your layout at the planned size, with the quiet zone intact and a light background behind it.
4. Print one proof on the real material, or as close as you can get.
5. Scan the proof from the real distance with at least two different phones, one iPhone and one Android if you can.
6. Try it in the lighting where it will hang. If any phone hesitates, make the code larger or increase the contrast.

Dynamic codes give you a second chance

Even with careful testing, things change after printing: a page moves, a promotion ends, a link has a typo. With a dynamic code, such as a Website URL or PDF code, you change where it leads in your account and the printed code keeps working. With a static code, the only fix is a reprint.

Dynamic codes also show how many people scan them. If a poster gets almost no scans, it may be too small, too high or in the wrong place. The statistics tell you before you print the next batch. Read how to track QR code scans to set it up.

Questions