QR Code Generator for Print

What is the minimum QR code size?

There is no single answer, because it depends on how much data the code holds and how far away people scan it. A common rule of thumb is one unit of code width for every 10 units of scanning distance. So a code scanned from 20 cm needs to be about 2 cm wide.

For a label held in the hand, start at about 20 × 20 mm and go smaller only after testing on several phones. Each small square, called a module, should stay above about 0.33 mm on a good press. Rough materials need more.

How to keep it small

• Shorten the link. Less data means fewer modules, so each one can be larger in the same space.
• Use a lower error correction level if the label is protected. Level M, about 15% recovery, is a sensible default.
• Raise the level to Q or H where the code may be scratched or wet.

Print it so it scans

• Use dark on light. Reversed codes, light on dark, fail on some phones.
• Keep the quiet zone. The file includes the blank margin of 4 modules on every side. Do not let artwork enter it.
• Watch curved surfaces. On a narrow bottle, a large code bends out of the camera view, so test on the real container.
• Check the link before printing. This is a static code: the address cannot be changed afterward, so use a link you will keep working.