QR code frames: add a label people will act on

What a frame is

A frame is a border around the code plus a call-to-action label, set above or below it. Some frames are just an outline with no text. When you download the code, the frame comes with it as part of the same image, so the label can't get separated from the code when someone lays out the page.

Why a label helps

Scanning takes a little effort. People spend it when they know what they'll get and it sounds worth having. A label sets that expectation in a few words.

It builds trust too. If the frame says menu and the preview shows the restaurant's own address, everything lines up. If the label and the page don't match, people notice, which also makes a swapped code easier to spot. The QR code safety guide has more on that.

Writing frame text that works

Use a specific verb plus what they get. Keep it to two to five words so it stays readable when the code prints small. Some that work:

• Scan for the menu
• Scan to join our WiFi
• Save my contact
• Book a table
• Watch the 2-minute tour
• RSVP for Saturday

Avoid Scan me and Scan here. They say how but not why. And make sure the text matches what opens. A label that promises a discount and opens your homepage spends trust you'll want back.

Fit the words to the setting, too. On a restaurant table, people already know the code is about food, so Scan for the menu is enough. On a poster at a bus stop, there's no context, so say exactly what opens and why it's worth a moment of someone's time.

Frame color and code color

The frame is where brand color shines. A bold frame draws the eye from across a room while the code inside stays dark on light, the way scanners like it. Check that the label text is easy to read against the frame color, and keep a clear white margin between the code and the frame so the quiet zone stays intact. The custom design guide covers the color rules for the code itself.

Frame options in our generator

• Label below: the most common choice. The eye lands on the code, then reads the instruction.
• Label above: good when the code sits low on a sign or page and the text needs to be seen first.
• Outline: a border with no text, for when the design around the code already explains it.
• None: just the code, when you're placing your own text nearby.

Each one takes your own text and color. On table tents and menus, a label below with a short verb is hard to beat. Write your label first, in five words or fewer, then open the generator and add it under your code.