How big should a QR code be?
Updated
Short answer
Print a QR code at least 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 inches) for scanning up close, as on a business card, and allow roughly 1 cm of width for every 10 cm of scanning distance: a poster read from 1 metre needs a code about 10 cm wide. Keep a blank margin four modules wide around it, use dark modules on a light background, and go bigger when the code holds a lot of data.
The 10:1 distance rule
The most useful rule of thumb is a ratio of about 10 to 1 between scanning distance and code width. A code people will scan from 1 metre away should be about 10 cm wide. It is a planning guideline rather than a figure from the QR code standard, and phone cameras vary, so treat the widths below as minimums and add a little where there is room.
| Scanning distance | Minimum width | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 20 cm (8 in) | 2 cm (0.8 in) | Business cards, product labels |
| 30 cm (1 ft) | 3 cm (1.2 in) | Menus, table cards, flyers held in the hand |
| 1 m (3.3 ft) | 10 cm (4 in) | Posters on a wall, shop windows |
| 2 m (6.6 ft) | 20 cm (8 in) | Posters seen across a room, display stands |
| 5 m (16 ft) | 50 cm (20 in) | Banners and large signs |
| 10 m (33 ft) | 1 m (3.3 ft) | Billboards and building signage |
The smallest size that still scans
For anything scanned up close, about 2 × 2 cm (0.8 × 0.8 inches) is a sensible minimum. Smaller codes can work, but only when they hold very little, are printed sharply and meet a phone that focuses well at close range. On a business card or a label, 2 to 3 cm is a safe range.
More data needs a bigger code
A QR code is a square grid of modules, the small dark and light squares. The more it holds, the more modules it needs. The smallest version, version 1, is 21 × 21 modules, and each version adds 4 modules to every side, up to version 40 at 177 × 177. A generator picks the smallest version that fits the content.
At the same printed width, more modules means smaller modules, and small modules are what make a code hard to read. A short link fits a low version, while a long address full of tracking parameters, or a contact card with every field filled in, can push a code several versions higher. When a code has to be small, shorten what it holds before anything else.
| Version | Grid | Module width at 2 cm |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 × 21 | 0.69 mm |
| 2 | 25 × 25 | 0.61 mm |
| 5 | 37 × 37 | 0.44 mm |
| 10 | 57 × 57 | 0.31 mm |
| 25 | 117 × 117 | 0.16 mm |
| 40 | 177 × 177 | 0.11 mm |
Keep the quiet zone empty
The QR code standard, ISO/IEC 18004, asks for a blank margin four modules wide on every side, called the quiet zone. Scanners use it to find where the code begins. Text, a frame or a busy background inside that margin is one of the most common reasons a printed code will not scan. Codes downloaded from Any QR already include the quiet zone, so leave the white edge in place rather than cropping it off.
Error correction and damage
Every QR code carries recovery data, so it still scans when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered. There are four levels. Higher levels survive more damage but need more modules for the same content, so the code gets denser. Any QR uses level M unless you pick another in the style controls.
| Level | Recovers about | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| L | 7% | Screens and clean indoor print, where the most data has to fit |
| M | 15% | Most uses, and the default here |
| Q | 25% | Outdoor print and packaging that gets handled |
| H | 30% | Codes likely to be scuffed or partly covered |
Printing tips
- Use the SVG download for print where your software accepts it. It is a vector, so it stays sharp at any size, from a sticker to a banner.
- A PNG prints sharply at 300 dpi up to about 8 cm wide at 1024 px, or about 17 cm at 2048 px. Never stretch a small image up.
- Keep dark modules on a light background with strong contrast. Light codes on dark backgrounds are allowed by the standard, but some scanner apps still fail to read them.
- Avoid glossy laminate that throws light straight back at the camera, and tight curves, such as narrow bottles, that bend the grid.
- Test a printed proof with more than one phone, at the real scanning distance, before printing the full run.
Frequently asked questions
About 2 × 2 cm (0.8 inches) for a code scanned up close, and larger if it holds a lot of data. For codes scanned from further away, divide the scanning distance by 10 to get the width.
About 2 to 3 cm wide, including its white margin. A full contact card makes a dense code, so give it the larger end of that range, or put a short link in the code instead.
Work out how far away people will stand and divide by 10. A poster read from 2 metres needs a code at least 20 cm wide.
No. The content sets the number of modules. Printing the same code bigger only makes each module larger, which lets it be scanned from further away.
SVG, when your design or print software accepts it, because it scales to any size without blurring. A 2048 px PNG is fine for print up to about 17 cm wide.
Make a code
More guides
- Guide
Static vs Dynamic QR Codes
A static QR code holds its content in the pattern and never expires. A dynamic one points at a redirect you rent. How they differ, and which to choose.
Read the guide - Guide
How to Scan a QR Code
Scan a QR code with the camera already on your phone: the steps for iPhone and Android, how to read a code on your own screen, and what to do if it fails.
Read the guide