What size should a QR code be?
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For print, make a QR code at least 2 cm (about 0.8 inch) wide. For anything scanned from farther away, make it about one tenth of the distance.
The 10 to 1 rule
Measure how far away people will stand when they scan. Divide by ten. That is how wide the code should be.
| Scan distance | Code width (at least) |
|---|---|
| 20 cm (in your hand) | 2 cm |
| 50 cm (on a table) | 5 cm |
| 1 m (on a wall, close) | 10 cm |
| 3 m (across a room) | 30 cm |
| 5 m (a big banner) | 50 cm |
This is a starting point, not a law. Good light and a simple code scan from farther away. Dim light and a busy code need a bigger size.
The smallest size
Do not print a code smaller than about 2 × 2 cm. Below that, many phones struggle, even up close.
Some codes need more room:
- Long links make more dots. Each dot gets smaller, so print bigger.
- Codes with a logo or photo are busier. Add about a quarter more size.
- Contact cards (vCards) hold a lot of text. Use few fields, or print bigger.
Do not forget the white border
The size above is for the code itself. Add a white margin around it, about four dots wide. This “quiet zone” helps phones find the edges. Most QR makers, including QRVivid, add it for you. Do not crop it off.
Sizes for common uses
- Business card: 2 to 2.5 cm. See QR codes on business cards.
- Flyer (A5 or A4): 3 to 5 cm. See QR codes on flyers and posters.
- Table tent or menu: 3 to 5 cm.
- Poster on a wall: 10 cm or more.
- Shop window or banner: use the 10 to 1 rule with the real distance.
Size in pixels
For screens, a code 200 to 300 pixels wide is usually enough, as long as it is shown sharp and not stretched.
For print, pixels depend on the print size. A safe rule is 300 pixels per inch (about 120 per cm). So a 5 cm code needs about 600 pixels. QRVivid offers 600, 1200 and 2400 pixel PNG files. The 2400 pixel file is enough for a code about 20 cm wide at that quality.
Better still, use SVG. An SVG file is drawn with shapes, not pixels. It stays sharp at any size. In QRVivid, choose Styled code to get the SVG download.
Always test a print
Before you print hundreds, print one at the real size. Scan it from the real distance with two different phones. If it is slow, make it bigger or use a shorter link.
Make your code
QRVivid is free, with no sign-up. Your code is made on your device, and the link goes straight into the code, so it never expires.