QR Code Size and Print Guidelines: Minimum Size, DPI, Quiet Zone

The distance rule: size equals scan distance divided by 10

The most useful rule of thumb for QR code size is a ratio of about 1:10 between the width of the code and the distance a person will scan it from. A code meant to be scanned from 1 m should be at least 10 cm wide. A poster read from across a 3 m corridor needs a 30 cm code. A billboard scanned from 20 m needs a code around 2 m wide, which is why highway billboards with tiny QR codes never get scanned.

At the other end of the scale, a business card is held 10 to 20 cm from the phone, so 20 to 25 mm is the practical minimum for a simple code, with 30 mm being more forgiving. Product labels, table tents and flyers read at arm's length, roughly 30 to 50 cm, work well at 30 to 50 mm. The vCard business card guide covers card-specific layout in detail.

The 1:10 ratio assumes a low-version code with good contrast. Denser codes, decorative styling and logos all push you towards the larger end of the range, and modern phone cameras with good autofocus give you some margin, but the cheapest phone your audience owns is the one to design for.

Module size: the number that actually decides readability

Scanners do not see centimetres; they see modules, the individual squares that make up the code. For reliable decoding on typical smartphone cameras, each module should be at least 0.4 to 0.5 mm when printed and viewed at close range, and proportionally larger for longer distances. Below about 0.3 mm even good cameras start to merge adjacent modules and decoding becomes hit or miss.

The number of modules depends on the QR version, which in turn depends on how much data you encode and the error correction level. Version 1 is 21 x 21 modules, version 10 is 57 x 57, and version 40, the largest, is 177 x 177. Each version step adds exactly 4 modules per side.

Work the arithmetic backwards to find your minimum print size: multiply the module count by 0.5 mm. A version 3 code (29 modules) needs about 14.5 mm plus quiet zone; a version 10 code needs about 28.5 mm; a version 20 code (97 modules) needs almost 50 mm before it is safe on a business card. This is why a long URL with tracking parameters cannot be printed as small as a short one, and why a dynamic QR code with a 30-character redirect stays small on paper while pointing anywhere you like.

Quiet zone: leave room around the code

The quiet zone is the empty margin surrounding the code. The QR specification calls for 4 modules of clear space on every side. It is not decoration; the scanner uses the transition from blank margin to the first dark module to locate the symbol, and text, borders, photos or a coloured box running right up to the edge can stop detection entirely.

The default quiet zone on [qrsvg.app](/) is 2 modules, which is fine for screens where the code usually sits on a plain page. For print, set it to 4 in the quiet zone control, which accepts anything from 0 to 8 modules. If the design places the code on a busy background or near a cut edge, go to 6 or 8. Ensure the quiet zone is the same colour as the code's light modules; a white code on white paper with a coloured frame that intrudes into the margin counts as a broken quiet zone.

Remember to include the quiet zone in your size calculations. A 29-module code with a 4-module margin is really 37 modules wide, so at 0.5 mm per module it needs 18.5 mm, not 14.5 mm.

Contrast and colours for print

Cameras convert the image to grayscale and threshold it, so what matters is luminance difference, not hue. Black on white is the reference at roughly 21:1 contrast. Dark navy, charcoal, forest green and burgundy on white all work well. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 and higher when possible.

Avoid red, orange and yellow modules on white for anything that must scan on cheap cameras; these colours convert to a light grey in many sensors and the threshold step fails. Avoid light-on-dark inversion unless you have tested it on several devices; many scanning apps still assume dark modules on a light ground, and inverted codes fail silently on those. Placing the code in a white panel inside a dark design is the reliable compromise.

Paper changes colour. Uncoated stock absorbs ink and dulls dark colours, cream paper reduces the light side of the contrast, and metallic or spot-colour inks can behave unpredictably. Check a proof rather than the screen preview. The QR code with logo guide covers gradients and brand colours in more depth.

Export format and resolution

For anything going to a print shop, export vector. qrsvg.app produces a clean SVG with all modules merged into a single path, which drops straight into Illustrator, InDesign, Affinity or Figma and scales to any size with perfectly sharp edges. The PDF export embeds the same vector artwork for workflows that prefer a PDF placed file or a direct print. See SVG vs PNG QR codes for the full comparison.

If the pipeline requires a raster PNG, size it for 300 dpi at the final print dimensions. The formula is pixels = mm / 25.4 x 300. A 30 mm code needs 30 / 25.4 x 300 = 354 pixels; a 100 mm code needs 1181 pixels; a 500 mm poster code needs 5906 pixels. Round up and never scale a raster larger than its native size in the layout, because interpolation softens the module edges and effectively shrinks your contrast.

Keep the PNG aligned to whole modules where you can. Exporting a 29-module code plus 4-module quiet zone at a pixel size divisible by 37 avoids fractional module widths that produce grey anti-aliased seams between squares. JPEG is not recommended for print QR codes at all; its compression artefacts blur the crisp black-white transitions the decoder relies on.

Materials, surfaces and finishes

Matte finishes beat glossy every time. Glossy paper, laminate and acrylic reflect overhead lighting straight into the camera and wash out part of the code. If lamination is required for durability, ask for matte or soft-touch laminate, or leave the code area unlaminated where the process allows.

Curved surfaces distort the grid. A gentle curve is fine because the alignment patterns correct for it, but avoid wrapping a code around anything where the surface deviates by more than about 10% across the width of the code, such as a narrow bottle or a can. On cylindrical packaging, orient the code so its width runs along the axis of the cylinder rather than around it.

Textured stock, fabric, wood and etched metal all reduce edge sharpness. On these materials increase module size by 50% or more relative to paper, use error correction level H and test the physical sample, not a screen mock-up. For engraving and embroidery, simple square modules from the default style are far more reliable than dots or rounded shapes.

Placement: where the code goes matters as much as its size

Place codes at roughly eye level, between 1.2 and 1.6 m from the floor, on posters and signage. A code at the bottom of a poster forces people to crouch and tilt the phone, which increases perspective distortion and drops scan rates. On table-top items, aim for the code to be readable without picking the item up.

Keep the code away from folds, creases, staples, spines and die-cut edges. A brochure fold that lands across a code will crack the ink and damage modules with every open and close. Print one code per surface or panel; several codes side by side confuse both people and scanners, and if you need multiple destinations, use one dynamic code with a landing page instead.

Add a short call to action beside the code, such as “Scan for the menu”, and make sure the surrounding layout does not violate the quiet zone. Users scan more when they know what they will get.

Pre-print testing checklist

Print a proof at exact size on the intended stock and run through this list before approving the job. It takes five minutes and prevents the most expensive QR code mistake there is: a full print run that does not scan.

• Measure the code with a ruler and confirm it meets the distance/10 rule for the placement.
• Confirm the quiet zone is at least 4 modules and nothing intrudes into it.
• Scan with an iPhone, a current Android phone and an older or budget Android with a basic camera.
• Scan from the closest and farthest realistic distances, and at a 30-degree angle.
• Scan under the real lighting: fluorescent office light, daylight through a window, dim restaurant light.
• Open the decoded link and verify it is the final destination with https and no typos.
• Check any logo covers no more than 25% of the width and error correction is Q or H; see error correction explained.
• For bulk jobs such as numbered tickets or per-table menus generated via bulk CSV export, spot-check at least 5% of the codes.

How to size and export a QR code for print

1. 1

   Decide the scan distance

   Estimate how far away people will be when they scan, then divide by 10 to get the minimum code width. Business cards: at least 20-25 mm. Posters read from 2 m: at least 20 cm.

2. 2

   Shorten the payload

   Use a short URL or a dynamic QR code so the module count stays low. Check that the module count times 0.5 mm, plus quiet zone, fits inside the size from step one.

3. 3

   Set error correction and quiet zone

   Choose error correction M for plain codes or H for logos and rough materials. Increase the quiet zone from the default 2 to 4 modules.

4. 4

   Use print-safe colours

   Keep dark modules on a light background with at least 4.5:1 contrast. Avoid red or yellow modules and avoid inverted colours unless tested.

5. 5

   Export vector or 300 dpi raster

   Download SVG or PDF for the print shop. If PNG is required, set the pixel size to mm / 25.4 x 300 for the final printed dimensions.

6. 6

   Proof and test

   Print a proof on the actual material and scan it with three different phones at the real distance and lighting before approving the run.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum size for a QR code?

About 20 mm for a simple code scanned at close range, such as a business card. For general use, divide the intended scan distance by 10: 1 m of distance needs a 10 cm code.

How many pixels is a 300 dpi QR code?

Multiply the width in millimetres by 300 and divide by 25.4. A 50 mm code is 591 pixels; a 100 mm code is 1181 pixels. Or export SVG and let the print software handle resolution.

Why does a longer URL need a bigger QR code?

More data means a higher QR version with more modules per side, 4 extra per version. Each module still needs about 0.5 mm to scan reliably, so more modules means a physically larger code.

How much white space does a QR code need around it?

The specification recommends a quiet zone of 4 modules on every side. qrsvg.app defaults to 2 for screens; raise it to 4 or more for print.

Should I print a QR code as SVG, PDF or PNG?

SVG or PDF for anything going to a designer or print shop, since vectors stay sharp at any size. PNG only when the workflow demands raster, sized for 300 dpi at final dimensions.