QR code size guide: how big to print it

The rule that sets the size

Size depends on how far the phone will be from the code. A common rule of thumb is a distance-to-size ratio of about 10 to 1. If people will scan from 1 metre away, the code should be roughly 10 cm wide. From 3 metres, plan on about 30 cm.

The second factor is how much data is inside. A short link makes a code with few, large squares (called modules). A long link, a vCard or a paragraph of text packs in many small modules, so the same printed width gives each module less room. Short content is always easier to print small.

Print sizes by situation

These are practical starting points for a code with a short link. Treat them as minimums and go larger if space allows.

A visiting card is the tight case. At 2 cm wide, a code holding a long URL becomes too dense for older phones. Shorten the link, or put a contact in a vCard QR code and keep the fields to what you really need.

Keep the quiet zone

The quiet zone is the empty border around the code. The QR standard (ISO/IEC 18004) asks for 4 modules of blank space on every side. Scanners use it to find where the code starts.

The most common mistake is placing the code inside a coloured box, a photo or a table cell with a thin border. The scanner then sees the box edge as part of the pattern. The fix is simple: leave a plain background margin around the code, at least the width of 4 of its squares, and keep text and borders outside that margin.

In the generator, the quiet zone setting controls this margin. If you plan to place the code on a busy design, increase it rather than reduce it.

Contrast and colour

Scanners look for dark squares on a light background. Dark on light with strong contrast is the safe choice. Black on white is ideal, but a deep navy or dark green on a pale background also works.

• Keep the code darker than its background. Light code on a dark background (inverted) is unreliable on some scanner apps.
• Avoid pastel foregrounds such as yellow or light grey on white, even if they look fine on screen.
• Avoid gradients and patterned backgrounds behind the code.
• On glossy paper or steel, check for glare from overhead lights.

Worked example: a cafe wants its brand orange on the table tents. Orange on white has weak contrast, so print the code in a dark brown or black and use the orange for the frame and the call to action around it.

Logos and design styles

A logo in the centre covers part of the code. The error correction levels recover from this damage: L about 7 percent, M 15, Q 25 and H 30. The generator switches to High automatically when you add a logo. Keep the logo small, about a fifth of the code width at most, and test it.

Rounded dots and custom eye styles also reduce reliability a little. For a code that must work at a small size, such as a visiting card, use plain square modules and no logo.

Why use SVG for print

A PNG has a fixed number of pixels. Stretch it to poster size and the edges blur, which hurts scanning. SVG is a vector format: it describes the squares as shapes, so it stays sharp at 2 cm or at 2 metres.

Download the SVG from the generator and hand that file to your printer or designer. If you need a PNG for a document, export it at a size larger than you need, for example 2000 px, and scale it down in the layout, never up.

Test before printing

Do this check every time, before you print a batch of 500 cards.

1. Print one copy at the real size on the real paper.
2. Stick it where it will hang, or hold it at the real distance.
3. Scan with at least two phones, one older and one new, using the normal camera and a scanner app. The QR code scanner also shows the full text, so you can confirm the link is correct.
4. Try it in the real light: dim shop light, afternoon glare, evening.
5. Confirm that the destination page loads fast on mobile data.

If a scan takes more than a second or two, enlarge the code or shorten the content and test again.

Questions people ask

Updated 2026-10-14 · Written by the CodingMarble team