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 ten years of phone cameras. Treat it as a minimum. A bigger code only costs layout space, while a smaller one quietly loses scans that nobody will report.
Minimum QR code 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.
These sizes are for the code itself. The quiet zone (a clear margin of at least four modules on every side) comes on top of that, and you cannot leave it out.
Density changes the answer
The rule assumes a fairly simple code. The more text you encode, the more modules are packed into the same square, and the harder each one is for the camera to resolve. A short link at version 3 is far more forgiving than a full vCard at version 12 printed at the same width.
If you are close to the minimum size, shorten the content before you shrink the code. Use a short URL instead of a long tracking link, and MeCard instead of a full vCard where you can. The contact-card guide compares the two.
Export settings for printing QR codes
- Use vector. SVG, PDF and EPS files scale to any size without losing sharpness. For print, this matters more than any other export setting.
- If you must use PNG, export at the final printed size at 300 DPI. A 5 cm code needs roughly 600 px, and a 20 cm poster code about 2400 px.
- Never scale a small raster up. Enlarging blurs the module edges, and blurred edges are a common reason codes stop scanning.
- Print in solid black. Avoid rich black and screened greys: at small sizes a halftone screen breaks each module up into dots.
Where to place a printed QR code
A billboard code of the right size is still no use if drivers pass it at 90 km/h, and a code at knee height on a stand will hardly ever be scanned. Put the code where a person can stand still and point a phone at it comfortably, at roughly chest to eye height, away from glare and reflections.
Add a short instruction next to it. “Scan for the menu” gets more scans than a bare code, because people want to know what they will get before they reach for their phone.
Test a proof before the print run
Print one proof at final size on the stock you will use, and scan it from the expected distance in the expected lighting. If it is slow to scan, go up one size: an extra centimetre is much cheaper than a reprint. If it fails outright, the troubleshooting checklist will find the cause.