The distance ÷ 10 rule for QR code size
The simplest way to size a QR code is to divide the scanning distance by ten. If people will hold their phone about 50 cm from a flyer, print the code about 5 cm wide. If they will stand 2 m from a poster, make it about 20 cm. The rule works the same in inches: a sign read from 10 feet (120 in) needs a code of about 12 in.
Treat the result as a starting point, not a guarantee. Push the size up when conditions are harder: dim lighting, a code seen at an angle, people walking past, a dense code that holds a lot of data, or an audience with older phones. Going a little bigger costs almost nothing; reprinting a batch that does not scan costs a lot.
At the other end, there is a practical floor. Below about 2 × 2 cm (0.8 in), even a simple code becomes unreliable, because phone cameras struggle to focus that close and each module becomes tiny. Our QR code size calculator does the arithmetic for your exact distance.
QR code size chart by use
Typical distances and suggested minimum widths for codes with short content. Measure the code itself; the quiet zone comes on top.
| Where the code is | Scanning distance | Suggested minimum size |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | 15–25 cm (6–10 in) | 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1 in) |
| Product label or packaging | 20–30 cm (8–12 in) | 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) |
| Flyer, menu or table card | 30–50 cm (1–1.6 ft) | 3–5 cm (1.2–2 in) |
| Poster at eye level | 1–2 m (3–6.5 ft) | 10–20 cm (4–8 in) |
| Shop window or storefront | 2–3 m (6.5–10 ft) | 20–30 cm (8–12 in) |
| Banner or billboard | 5 m or more (16 ft+) | 50 cm or more (20 in+) |
Why the length of your content changes the size you need
A QR code is a grid of small squares called modules. The more data you encode, the more modules the grid needs: from 21 × 21 at version 1 up to 177 × 177 at version 40. At a fixed print size, more modules means smaller modules, and small modules are what make a code hard to scan.
A quick example: printed 2 cm wide, a 25 × 25 code has modules of about 0.8 mm. The same 2 cm filled with a 57 × 57 code, which a long URL can easily produce, shrinks each module to about 0.35 mm. The second code needs to be printed more than twice as large to be as easy to scan.
Keep the content short
Remove unnecessary parameters from URLs and avoid long texts in static codes. A dynamic QR code always holds a short link, however long the destination is, so its pattern stays simple and scans well at small sizes.
Mind the error correction level
Higher error correction (Q or H) adds modules. That is worth it when a logo sits in the middle of the code, but it means you should print slightly larger. Level M is a sensible default when there is no logo.
Leave room for the quiet zone
The QR code standard (ISO/IEC 18004) asks for a quiet zone: an empty margin at least four modules wide on every side, in the background color. It lets the scanner tell where the code ends and the rest of the design begins. Text, borders, photos or a fold placed too close are among the most common reasons a well-sized code still fails.
Plan the space in your layout from the start. A 2 cm code with 25 modules per side has modules of about 0.8 mm, so four modules on each side add roughly 6 mm in total. The printed area therefore needs to be about 2.6 cm wide. Also leave a safety margin where the print will be trimmed, so the cutter does not eat into the quiet zone.
Contrast and color
Scanners read the difference between dark and light modules, so contrast matters as much as size. A dark foreground on a light background is the safest choice. Brand colors work well as long as the foreground stays clearly darker: deep blue, green or burgundy on white or cream is fine, while yellow, light grey or pastel foregrounds often fail.
Be careful with gradients that fade to a light shade, with photos behind the code and with inverted codes (light modules on a dark background). Many modern phones read inverted codes, but not every scanner app does, so avoid them for anything printed in large quantities.
Materials, surfaces and placement
The same code can scan perfectly on paper and fail on a bottle. Adjust size and finish to the surface.
Glossy and laminated prints
Shiny surfaces reflect lamps and daylight straight into the camera. A matte finish or matte laminate is safer, especially for menus and table cards under bright lights.
Curved surfaces
On bottles, cups and tubes, the edges of a large code bend away from the camera. Place the code on the flattest area and keep it narrow relative to the curve, or choose a larger container area.
Textured, fabric and engraved surfaces
Rough paper, embroidery, wood and metal engraving blur module edges and often have less contrast. Use a larger size, short content and test on the real material.
Windows and screens
Glass adds reflections, so place window codes at eye level and away from direct sunlight. On screens, make sure each module is several pixels wide and the image is not blurred by scaling.
Placement
Put codes where people can stop and hold their phone steady: at eye level, not above head height, and not on the side of fast-moving vehicles. Remember that a code leading to a web page needs mobile signal where it hangs.
File formats for sharp printing
For print, use a vector format such as SVG or PDF. Vectors scale to any size without losing sharpness, so the same file works for a business card and a banner. If you must use a pixel format, choose PNG with enough resolution: at 300 dpi, a 3 cm code needs roughly 350 × 350 pixels. Avoid heavily compressed JPG files, whose blurry edges can make modules merge.
Qdestera's free generator downloads PNG and SVG. With an account you can also download JPG and PDF.
Test before you print a batch
A five-minute test prevents most QR code printing mistakes.
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Print a proof at actual size
Screens magnify codes. Only a proof on paper at the final size shows how it really scans.
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Scan from the real distance
Stand where your audience will stand, not with the phone pressed against the print.
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Use several phones
Try at least one iPhone and one Android phone, and an older model if you can. Our guide on how to scan a QR code covers the built-in scanners.
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Check light and angle
Test under the lighting where the code will hang and from a slight angle, as people rarely stand straight in front of it.
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Check the destination
Make sure the link opens a page that loads fast and reads well on a phone.
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Check after finishing
Lamination, trimming and folding can add glare or cut into the quiet zone. Scan a finished sample too.
Get the exact size for your scanning distance
Enter how far away people will scan from, and the calculator suggests a minimum print size for your code.