Printing
QR code size for printing: minimum sizes, distance and resolution
How big a QR code needs to be depends on how far away people stand and how much data it holds. Here are the numbers, plus the file and print settings that matter.
Updated · 6 min read
The minimum practical size for a printed QR code is about 2 x 2 cm (0.8 x 0.8 in), for something scanned from close up, like a business card. For anything scanned from further away, use the 10:1 rule: the code should be at least one tenth as wide as the scanning distance. A poster read from 2 metres needs a code about 20 cm wide.
How big should a QR code be for printing?
A printed QR code should be at least one tenth as wide as the distance people scan it from. Phone cameras need each module of the code to cover enough pixels to tell dark from light, so the further away the phone, the bigger the modules need to be. This ratio of about 10 to 1 between distance and code width is a widely used rule of thumb. Use the table below as a starting point.
| Scan distance | Minimum code width | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 20 cm (8 in) | 2 cm (0.8 in) | Business cards, product labels |
| 30 cm (12 in) | 3 cm (1.2 in) | Flyers, brochures, packaging |
| 50 cm (20 in) | 5 cm (2 in) | Table tents, menus, counter cards |
| 1 m (3.3 ft) | 10 cm (4 in) | Posters at eye level, shop windows |
| 2 m (6.6 ft) | 20 cm (8 in) | Large posters, trade show stands |
| 5 m (16 ft) | 50 cm (20 in) | Banners, signs seen from a path |
| 10 m (33 ft) | 1 m (3.3 ft) | Billboards, building signage |
Treat these as minimums. Go bigger when the lighting is poor, when people will scan at an angle, or when the code holds a lot of data. The width here is the code itself, not including the margin around it.
Base the distance on where people will really stand, not where you hope they will. A poster across a train platform is read from further away than one beside a ticket machine, even if both are the same size.
Why does content length change the size you need?
More content means more modules, so at the same print size each module gets smaller and harder to scan. QR codes come in 40 versions. Version 1 is a grid of 21 by 21 modules, and each version adds 4 modules per side, up to 177 by 177 for version 40. The more characters you encode, the higher the version.
- Long web addresses make dense codes. A link with tracking parameters can double the module count compared with a short one.
- Error correction adds modules. Levels L, M, Q and H can recover roughly 7%, 15%, 25% and 30% of damaged data. Higher levels are more robust but make the pattern denser.
- Short links keep codes simple. A dynamic code encodes a short redirect link, so the pattern stays light even when the destination is long. This is one reason dynamic codes on paid plans often scan better at small sizes.
If a code has to be small, shorten the content first. Use a clean URL without tracking parameters, or move text onto a web page and link to it.
How much blank space does a QR code need around it?
A QR code needs a quiet zone of 4 modules on every side, as the standard calls for: a plain, light margin with no text, lines or images. Scanners use it to find where the code starts. On a 2 cm code with 25 modules per side, each module is 0.8 mm, so the quiet zone should be about 3.2 mm.
Designers often trim this margin to fit a layout. It is one of the most common reasons a well-sized code fails to scan. Keep borders, crop marks and frame edges outside it. If the code sits inside a coloured design, the quiet zone must still be light. A white box behind the code is the simplest way to guarantee it.
Resolution, DPI and file formats
Blurry edges confuse scanners just as much as a code that is too small. The file you send to print matters.
- SVG and PDF are best for print. They are vector formats, so they stay perfectly sharp at any size, from a sticker to a banner. Most print shops prefer them.
- PNG is the best raster option. It keeps hard edges with no compression blur. Export at 300 DPI at the final print size: multiply the width in inches by 300. A 2 inch code needs at least 600 by 600 pixels.
- JPEG works, but check it. JPEG compression can soften edges and add faint noise around modules. Use a high quality setting and inspect a test print.
- Never stretch a small image. Enlarging a low resolution PNG makes fuzzy modules. Download again at the right size or use a vector file.
Colour changes at print time too. Printers convert screen colours to ink, and a dark brand colour on screen can come out lighter on uncoated paper. Dark modules on a white or very light background give you the most room for error.
The EndureQR free generator downloads PNG, SVG, JPEG and PDF with no watermark, so you can hand your printer a vector file straight away. For a web link, start with the URL QR code generator.
A quick checklist before you print
- Size the code with the 10:1 rule for the real scanning distance.
- Keep the content short so the pattern stays simple.
- Use dark modules on a light background with strong contrast.
- Keep a quiet zone of at least 4 modules on every side.
- Send a vector file, or a PNG at 300 DPI at final size.
- Avoid folds, seams and tight curves. On bottles and cans, keep the code small relative to the curve so it stays close to flat.
- Choose a matte finish where you can. Gloss and lamination can throw glare into the camera.
- Print a proof and scan it with more than one iPhone and Android phone.