How to make a QR code that always scans

Updated October 18, 2026

A QR code that doesn't scan is worse than no code at all, especially once it's printed on 500 flyers. These rules come from how phone cameras actually read codes.

1. Make it big enough

For anything held in the hand, such as a business card, label or menu, make the code at least 2 × 2 cm (0.8 in). For signs and posters, a widely used rule of thumb is 1 cm of code for every 10 cm of scanning distance, so a code read from 2 meters away should be around 20 cm wide.

Download the SVG version for print. It's a vector, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size.

2. Keep it simple

The more you put in a QR code, the more (and smaller) squares it needs. A long web address with tracking parameters produces a dense code that's hard to scan from a distance. Use the shortest link you can, ideally your own domain with a short path.

3. Dark on light, with strong contrast

Use a dark code on a light background. Brand colors are fine if they're dark enough. Light codes on dark backgrounds ("inverted" codes) fail on many phones. Our QR Code Generator warns you if your colors are risky.

4. Leave the quiet zone

The plain border around a QR code is part of the code. It tells the camera where the code starts. Don't crop it off or put text and pictures right up against the edge.

5. Adding a logo

QR codes have built-in error correction, so part of the code can be covered and it still works. When you add a logo with our QR code with logo tool, error correction is automatically set to the highest level (about 30%), and the logo is kept to the center with a clean border. Keep logos simple and test the result.

6. Test like a stranger would

Scan it with at least two different phones, including an older one.
Scan from the real distance and angle, for example across a table or from the back of a room.
Scan a printed test copy, not just the screen. Glossy paper and lighting change things.

Static vs dynamic QR codes

Codes made here are static: the information is inside the code. They never expire, need no account, and work even if our site disappears. The trade-off is that you can't change where a static code points after printing.

Dynamic codes point to a redirect service you can edit later, and some count scans, but they stop working if you cancel the subscription or the service shuts down. A simple middle ground is a static code pointing to a page on your own website, which you can update any time.

Useful types of QR code

WiFi QR codes let guests join your network without typing the password.
Contact (vCard) QR codes add your name, phone and email to someone's contacts in one scan.
Email codes open a pre-written message, which is handy for feedback or support.

Tools used in this guide

QR Code GeneratorCreate free QR codes for links, text, WiFi, contacts and email. QR Code with LogoAdd your logo to the center of a QR code and match your brand colors. WiFi QR CodeLet guests join your WiFi by scanning a QR code, with no password typing. Contact (vCard) QR CodeCreate a QR code that saves your name, phone, email and company to a phone's contacts in one scan.