How to Generate a QR Code That Actually Scans

QR codes appear on restaurant menus, event tickets, business cards, product packaging, and everywhere else. Most work fine. Some are functionally useless because of avoidable design mistakes.

Generating a QR Code

Enter your URL, choose your error correction level (M is generally right for most uses), download as SVG for print or PNG for digital. SVG scales to any size without pixelation — always use SVG for print.

Size Requirements

Business card: minimum 2cm × 2cm, preferably 3cm × 3cm. Poster: 5–10cm for viewing distance under 3 meters; scale up for larger viewing distances. Phone screen: at least 200×200px for reliable scanning. The rule of thumb: the longer the URL, the more complex the QR code, so the larger it needs to be to remain scannable at small sizes.

Contrast and Color

Dark modules on light background, not the reverse. Maximum contrast = most reliable scanning. A black QR on white background is ideal. You can use brand colors — a dark navy QR on a cream background works fine. What doesn't work: light-colored QR codes on pastel backgrounds, QR codes placed over images with varying brightness, or reversed-out white QR codes on colored backgrounds (most scanners handle this poorly).

Testing Before Printing

Test your QR code with multiple devices before printing thousands. iPhone's camera, Android camera, and at least one dedicated QR scanner app. Test at the size it will actually be printed, not at screen size. Some QR code designs look great on screen but have issues at small print sizes. Print a sample at final size and test before full production runs.