How big should a QR code be when printed?
Divide the distance people will scan from by ten: that is the minimum width of the code. A code read from 30 cm needs about 3 cm; from 5 m it needs 50 cm.
5 min read · Updated
The ratio comes from how many camera pixels a scanner needs per module, and it has held up across a decade of phone cameras. Treat it as a floor, not a target — going bigger costs nothing but layout space, while going smaller costs you scans you will never hear about.
Minimum sizes by medium
| Where | Scanned from | Minimum | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 20–30 cm | 2 cm | 2.5–3 cm |
| Product label, packaging | 20–30 cm | 2 cm | 2.5 cm |
| Table tent, menu | 40–60 cm | 4 cm | 5 cm |
| Flyer, A5 leaflet | 30–50 cm | 3 cm | 4 cm |
| Poster, A2–A1 | 1.5–2 m | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Shop window | 2–3 m | 20–30 cm | 35 cm |
| Trade-show banner | 3–5 m | 30–50 cm | 60 cm |
| Billboard | 20 m+ | 2 m | 2.5 m |
Swipe the table to see all columns.
Sizes are for the code itself. The quiet zone — a clear margin of at least four modules on every side — sits outside that and is not optional.
Density changes the answer
The rule assumes a fairly simple code. The more text you encode, the more modules get packed into the same square, and the harder each one is to resolve. A short link at version 3 is far more forgiving than a full vCard at version 12 printed at the same width.
So if you are near the minimum size, shorten the content before you shrink the code. Point the code at a short URL rather than a long tracking link, and use MeCard instead of a full vCard where you can — see the contact-card guide.
Export settings that survive the printer
- Use vector. SVG, PDF or EPS scale to any size with no loss. This is the single best decision you can make for print.
- If you must use PNG, export at the final printed size at 300 DPI. A 5 cm code needs roughly 600 px; a 20 cm poster code needs about 2400 px.
- Never scale a small raster up. Blurred module edges are the fastest way to an unscannable code.
- Print in solid black, not rich black or greyscale halftone. A screened grey turns modules into dot clouds at small sizes.
Placement matters as much as size
A billboard code that satisfies the maths is still useless if drivers pass it at 90 km/h, and a perfect code at knee height on a stand will not be scanned by anyone. Put the code where a person can comfortably stand still and point a phone at it, at roughly chest to eye height, away from glare and reflections.
Add a short instruction next to it. “Scan for the menu” outperforms a bare code, because people need a reason before they reach for their phone.
Check before the run
Print one proof at final size on the real stock, and scan it at the real distance in the real lighting. If it hesitates, go one size up — reprinting a run costs far more than the extra centimetre. If it fails outright, the troubleshooting checklist will find the cause.