What’s the minimum size for a QR code?

What is the minimum size of a QR code?

Allow at least 2 cm (about 0.8 in) per side for a code scanned up close, on a business card or label. Below that, many phones struggle to focus.

That’s a floor, not a target: if you have room, a slightly bigger code scans faster and in more conditions.

How do I size it for distance?

A common rule of thumb: make the side about a tenth of the scanning distance. A code read from 1 metre would be around 10 cm; from 3 metres, around 30 cm.

Treat it as a starting point and test on site: lighting, angle and print quality matter as much. For large formats, see QR codes on posters, flyers and windows.

Why does the amount of data matter?

The more characters a code holds, the more little squares it has, and the smaller each square gets at the same size. A very long link or a busy business card needs a bigger code.

That’s one advantage of editable codes: they hold a short address, so the pattern stays simple and readable when small. See the dynamic QR code.

Do I need a margin around the code?

Yes. A light border all round — the “quiet zone” — helps the phone spot the code; Scanotte’s files already include it. Don’t cover it with text or images.

How do I check before printing?

Print a proof at final size, on paper close to the real material, and scan it with two different phones at the intended distance. Before printing: dark dots on a light background, at least 2 cm (about 0.8 in) wide, a small logo if any, and a test with two different phones.

For a sharp result at any size, give the printer the vector SVG file. Colours are covered in readable coloured QR codes.

What about codes on screens?

On a screen, the same rule applies: size for the distance. A code on a TV or a slide at the back of a room needs to be much bigger than one on a phone held at arm’s length.

Leave the code on screen long enough for people to get their phones out, and keep a light background behind it even on a dark slide.