How big should a QR code be? Size and printing guide

The quick answer

For anything held in the hand, like a business card, ticket or label, print the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) square. For anything on a wall, divide the distance people will stand from it by ten. A poster read from 3 meters away needs a code about 30 cm wide.

Sizes by use

• Business cards and product labels: 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1 in)
• Flyers, brochures and menus: 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in)
• Table tents and counter displays: 4 to 6 cm (1.6 to 2.4 in)
• Posters seen from 1 to 2 meters: 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in)
• Window decals and signs across a room: 30 cm (12 in) and up
• Billboards and building banners: work out the viewing distance and apply the 10:1 rule

These assume a short link or a small amount of data. More content means more modules (the tiny squares), and more modules need more room to stay readable.

Keep the content short

A code holding a 20-character link has large, chunky modules. The same code holding a 200-character link packs in far more, each one smaller. If your link is long, shorten it before you make the code, or strip tracking parameters you don't need. A contact card with every field filled in has the same problem, so leave out what nobody will use.

Leave the quiet zone alone

Every QR code needs a clear border around it, called the quiet zone. The standard asks for a margin at least four modules wide. Our generator adds it for you, so don't crop it off in your design tool, and don't let text, photos or a busy background run into it.

If a code scans on screen but not on paper, a cropped quiet zone is the first thing to check.

Pick the right file

Download SVG for anything going to a printer. It's a vector file, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size, from a sticker to a truck wrap. Most print shops and design tools accept it.

If you have to use a raster image, download PNG at 2048 px and keep it at 300 dpi or better at print size. That gives you a crisp code up to about 17 cm (6.8 in) wide. Avoid JPG for print where you can, because its compression softens the edges of each module. The file formats guide goes through each option.

Contrast, color and material

• Dark code on a light background. Inverted codes work on many newer phones but fail on plenty of older ones.
• Strong contrast. Pale grey on white or navy on black will cause trouble.
• Matte beats gloss. Glossy laminate throws glare straight back at the camera under shop lights.
• Flat beats curved. On a bottle or can, keep the code small relative to the curve, or the edges bend out of focus.

Test before the full run

Print one copy at final size on the real stock. Scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone, from the distance people will actually stand, in the light where it will hang, and check that the right page opens. If you're not sure how a phone should behave, the iPhone scanning guide shows what to expect. Do this before you approve the proof, and you won't be paying for a reprint.