Guides and best practice
Short, practical and screenshot-heavy. Every rule comes with a good and a bad example, and every guide ends with a checklist you can copy.
Design
Colors, contrast, logos, shapes and frames that still scan.
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How to add a logo to a QR code without breaking it
Put the logo dead center, set error correction to H, and keep it under about a quarter of the code's area.
3 min read
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Inverted and dark-mode QR codes (light on dark)
Inverted codes (light modules on a dark background) scan on iPhones and most modern Android phones, but fail on many older apps and dedicated scanners.
2 min read
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QR code colors and contrast that still scan
Scanners only see brightness. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1; 7 to 1 is bulletproof.
2 min read
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QR code design: the 10 rules that keep a code scannable
Dark modules on a light background, a four-module quiet zone, and a logo under a quarter of the area. Everything else is decoration.
4 min read
Sizes, file formats, surfaces and how to test before you spend money on ink.
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How to test a QR code before you print it
Test the link, the artwork, the size, the paper and the phones, in that order, before ink meets paper.
3 min read
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Minimum QR code size for print (cm and inches)
Minimum size is one tenth of the scan distance. Arm's length needs 2 cm (0.8 in); a poster read from 2 m needs 20 cm (8 in).
2 min read
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QR codes on curved, metal, glass and outdoor surfaces
Curves distort, metal and glass reflect, fabric blurs, weather fades. Each has a fix and most fixes are the same three things.
3 min read
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SVG, PNG, PDF or EPS: which QR code file format to use
Vector (SVG or PDF) for anything printed; it has no pixels to blur.
2 min read
Troubleshooting
Why a code will not scan and how to fix it.
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Expired or dead QR code: what you can recover
Static codes never expire. A code that stopped working is a dynamic code whose service ended, or a page that moved.
3 min read
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iPhone camera not scanning a QR code? Eight fixes
Camera must be in Photo mode with "Scan QR Codes" on in Settings, and far enough away to focus.
3 min read
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QR code not scanning? Find the cause in five checks
Decode the artwork first. If a decoder cannot read the file, the code is the problem; if it can, the print or the phone is.
3 min read
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QR code too small or blurry: why, and how to fix it
Blurry codes come from upscaled bitmaps or modules under 0.5 mm. Export vector and shorten the content.
2 min read
Business and marketing
Tracking, placement, campaigns and the mistakes that waste a print run.
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12 QR code mistakes to avoid, and what to do instead
Most failed codes are too small, too dense, or point somewhere that no longer works. Fix those three and you have avoided most of the damage.
4 min read
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How to track QR code campaigns: UTM and dynamic codes
Use one code per placement. Add UTM parameters for a static code, or use a dynamic code for scan counts without a longer URL.
5 min read
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QR code deployment checklist: design, print and tracking
Work through five groups before launch, design, print, link, tracking and maintenance, and tick every box.
4 min read
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QR codes and NFC: when to use each, and when to pair them
Use QR for anything printed, at a distance or in volume. Add NFC where a tap is more natural than a photo and the unit count is small.
5 min read
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QR codes on business cards: vCard or link, and size
Link to a profile page for a small, updatable code, or use a vCard if the contact must save offline. Print at 2 cm (0.8 in) or more, on the back, on matt stock.
5 min read
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Where to put a QR code: height, lighting and distance
Put the code where a person can stand still, at 900 to 1500 mm from the floor, in even light, then size it at one tenth of the scan distance.
5 min read
How-tos
Step-by-step tasks on iPhone, in documents and on the web.
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Deep links and QR codes: Universal Links and App Links
Encode an https link on your own domain, set up Universal Links and App Links so it opens the app when installed, and make the web page a real fallback.
5 min read
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How to put a QR code in Word, Google Docs and Canva
Export the code as SVG or a large PNG from a generator, insert it as a picture, lock the aspect ratio, and keep a clear margin around it.
5 min read
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How to scan a QR code from a screenshot or saved photo
A camera cannot scan its own screen. Save the image, then read it from the photo.
2 min read
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How to scan a QR code on iPhone (every method)
Open the Camera, point it at the code, tap the yellow banner. That is it for most codes.
3 min read
Accessibility
Making codes and the pages behind them usable by everyone.