The one rule that matters
A QR code should print at least one tenth of the scanning distance wide. Scanned from 50 cm, print it 5 cm. Scanned from 2 meters, print it 20 cm. The rule exists because cameras need each module — the little squares the code is built from — to cover enough pixels to tell dark from light. Double the distance, double the code.
Three things that shrink a code's reach
- Data density. Wi-Fi credentials and vCards pack more modules into the same area than a short link — print them one size up from what the calculator says.
- Contrast. Below dark-on-light contrast, the camera needs bigger modules to compensate. Keep codes dark on light.
- Logos and patterns. A center logo covers modules; styled patterns (dots, rounded) trade a little scannability for looks. Use the comfortable size, not the minimum.
Before the print run
Print one copy at final size, stick it where it will actually live — the table, the window, the wall — and scan it with one older phone and one newer one, in the light customers will actually have. That fifteen-minute test catches more print problems than any chart. Then generate the code itself with any of our free QR generators.
Common questions
How big should a QR code be?
At least one tenth of the distance people will scan it from: a business card scanned from 20 cm needs a 2 cm code, a table sign scanned from 50 cm needs 5 cm. When in doubt, print bigger — the 10:1 rule is a floor, not a target.
What is the smallest a QR code can be and still scan?
About 2 cm (0.8 in) across for a phone camera to read it comfortably at business-card distance. Below that, scanning works but becomes fussy — people give up before the phone does.
Why does my QR code need to be bigger when it holds more data?
More data means more modules — the small squares the code is built from — squeezed into the same width. A Wi-Fi password code has smaller squares than a short link, so each square must print larger for a camera to tell them apart. That is why data-heavy codes reward generous sizing.
Does a QR code with a logo need to be bigger?
A logo covers modules in the middle, so print at the comfortable size (1/7th of the scan distance) rather than the minimum, and always test the printed result with two phones before a full print run.
What is the quiet zone and does it count in the size?
The quiet zone is the white border around the code — at least four modules wide. It is part of the scannable area, so keep it intact; don't crop it, tint it, or run text into it.
Print it right
Generate the code with your logo, sized to print
Our free QR generators export print-ready SVG that stays sharp at any of these sizes — with your logo, your colors and pattern styles.
Open the QR generators →Pair this with: Restaurant menu QR generator · Wi-Fi QR generator · Contact QR generator