When someone meets you and says "send me your number", a printed code saves them the typing and saves you from a misspelt email. They scan it, the phone shows a contact card, and they tap Add. This page writes the contact card for you and turns it into a code you can put on a visiting card, a name badge or a shop counter.
Fill in the form, then check the readout
- Enter your first and last name, and your company and job title if they matter.
- Add mobile, work phone, email and website. Start phone numbers with the country code, for example
+91 98765 43210, so they dial correctly from anywhere. - Add the street, city, PIN or ZIP and country if people need to find you. A short note, such as working hours, is optional.
- Pick colours and dot shapes, then download PNG, SVG or JPG, or the printable card.
It updates as you type. The readout under it shows the exact text stored, so read it through before printing. Every field you add makes it denser, so fill in only what a stranger really needs. For a card, name, mobile, email and website is usually plenty, and a smaller pattern scans faster in poor light.
What the phone reads
A vCard is the standard contact format behind .vcf files. This tool writes version 3.0, which iPhone, Android, Outlook and Google Contacts all open. A small card looks like this:
BEGIN:VCARD, VERSION:3.0, N:Sharma;Priya, FN:Priya Sharma, ORG:Marble Interiors, TITLE:Design Lead, TEL;TYPE=CELL:+919876543210, EMAIL:priya@example.com, END:VCARD
The camera sees the opening line, recognises a contact and offers Add to Contacts. All the data is inside it, so the scan works with no internet connection.
A worked example: a freelance designer in Pune enters her name, mobile with +91, one email and her portfolio website. That is four short fields, so the pattern stays coarse and a 2 cm print scans quickly. A clinic that adds three phone lines, a full street address and opening hours is closer to a 3 cm code, and it is better to print that one on the leaflet than on a visiting card.
Printing it on a card
| Where | Size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | 2 x 2 cm | 2.5 cm is safer with many fields |
| Name badge or ID card | 2.5 x 2.5 cm | Leave space around it |
| Brochure or flyer | 3 to 4 cm | Put it near your name |
| Stall standee or poster | 8 cm or more | About 1 cm per 10 cm of distance |
Put it on the back of the card with a line such as "Scan to save my contact", and keep the front for the name and logo. Send the SVG to the press rather than a screenshot, because a vector file prints sharp at any size. Leave a clear white margin of at least four squares, and avoid foil, metallic ink or spot gloss over the squares. Dark ink on plain matte paper is the safest combination.
Print one sample before you order 500 cards, and scan it on an iPhone and an Android phone. Some people also keep a WhatsApp chat code on the card for quick questions, or a location code if customers come to a shop.
Logo yes, photo no
You can upload a logo for the centre. Error correction then moves to H, which tolerates about 30% damage. You can also pick the level yourself: L 7%, M 15%, Q 25%, H 30%. Higher levels cost space, so the squares get smaller.
A photo cannot go inside the card. Even a small picture is thousands of characters, and the pattern would become too dense for a phone to read from a business card. Services that show a photo usually keep your card on their server and put only a link in the pattern, so the details live elsewhere.
The catch with printed codes
A code made here holds your details directly, so it never expires and has no scan limit. The trade-off is that a printed code cannot be edited. If your number or job changes, make a new code and reprint. It takes a minute, so print fewer cards at a time if your details change often.
If you want an editable page, host your own profile page and turn its address into a code with the general QR code generator. Anything you type here is made in your browser and is not sent to this site.
When the phone only shows text
- Too dense: drop the note or the full address, or print larger.
- Plain text instead of Add contact: some scanner apps skip vCards. Use the built-in camera or Google Lens.
- Number saved without a country code: add +91 or your own code and make a new one.
- Blurry print: use the SVG.
To see what a code holds, upload a photo of it to the QR code scanner.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a photo on my card code?
No. A photo would make it too dense to scan from a card. Your logo can go in the centre instead.
Can I edit a card after printing it?
No. The details are written into the pattern, so a change means a new code and a new print.
What is the .vcf download for?
It saves the same contact details as a file you can email, send on WhatsApp or import into Google Contacts or Outlook.
Will it work on iPhone and Android?
The iPhone Camera app (iOS 11 and later) and Android cameras or Google Lens read vCard 3.0 and offer to add the contact. Older scanner apps may show plain text.
Does it expire?
No. Nothing is hosted, so there is no expiry and no scan limit.
How small can I print it?
About 2 x 2 cm on a visiting card with name, mobile and email. With a long address or note, go to 2.5 cm or trim the fields.
Is my contact information stored anywhere?
No. It is made in your browser and your details are not sent to this site.
Updated 2026-10-14