How big should a QR code be?
The single most common reason a printed QR code fails is that it's too small for the distance people scan it from. A quick rule keeps yours readable.
The 10:1 distance rule
Make the code at least one-tenth of the expected scanning distance. Scanned from 30 cm (a card in hand)? About 3 cm is fine. Scanned from 3 m (a wall poster)? Aim for 30 cm or more. When in doubt, go bigger.
Other things that affect readability
- Keep the quiet zone — the clear margin around the code — or scanners may miss it.
- Denser codes (long URLs, lots of data) need to be printed larger; shorten the content when you can.
- High contrast matters as much as size: dark modules on a light background.
- Always test the real, final-size print with more than one phone.
FAQ
- What's the smallest a QR code can be?
- For close-up scanning on paper, roughly 2 cm across is a practical minimum for a short link, and larger is safer. The denser the data and the greater the scan distance, the bigger it needs to be.
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