How to Make a QR Code That Scans Every Time

Most failed QR codes break the same few rules. Follow these and your code will scan quickly, even when printed small or slightly damaged.

The rules

• High contrast. Dark modules on a light background. Light-on-dark codes fail on some phones.
• Keep the quiet zone. Leave an empty border, about four modules wide, around the code.
• Make it big enough. A good guide is at least 2 cm across for close scanning, and larger if people scan from a distance.
• Use a short address. Fewer characters means a simpler, easier code.
• Add error correction if you add a logo. The higher levels let a code survive a logo in the middle or some damage, but the code becomes denser.
• Leave the three corner squares alone. Phones use them to find the code.

Test before you print

1. Scan it with two different phones, one old and one new.
2. Scan it from the real distance people will use.
3. Print one copy first and scan the paper, not the screen.

Static or dynamic

A code made by our QR code generator holds the address itself, so it never expires. If you need to change the destination later, point the code at a page you control and change that page.