Essential guidelines for creating effective and scannable QR codes.
🧙♂️ Follow these best practices to ensure your QR codes perform optimally.
It just f*ckin works.
✨Optimal Size Guidelines
The size of your QR code significantly impacts its scannability:
- Minimum recommended size: 2 × 2 cm (0.8 × 0.8 inches)
- For distances of 10 feet: at least 3 × 3 inches
- For distances of 50 feet: at least 12 × 12 inches
- For billboards: at least 30 × 30 inches
- Always maintain a 1:1 aspect ratio (perfect square)
Remember: The further away users will be when scanning, the larger your QR code needs to be.
✨Quiet Zone Requirements
The "quiet zone" is the blank margin around your QR code:
- Always maintain a minimum margin equal to 4× the width of a single module (the smallest square in the QR code)
- Keep this area completely white and free of text, images, or other elements
- For busy backgrounds, consider adding a white border around the entire QR code
- Insufficient quiet zones are a common cause of scanning failures
Think of the quiet zone as a frame that helps scanning devices identify where the QR code begins and ends.
✨Strategic Placement
Where you place your QR code matters as much as how you design it:
- Position at eye level when possible for physical locations
- Avoid placing in areas with poor lighting or shadows
- For curved surfaces (bottles, cups), consider the distortion effect
- Ensure the surface is non-reflective to prevent glare
- For digital use, place in areas where accidental clicks won't occur
- Avoid locations where the code might get damaged (door handles, floor areas with heavy traffic)
The ideal placement makes scanning intuitive and effortless for users.
✨Color Contrast
Proper contrast is crucial for QR code scannability:
- Maintain at least 70% contrast between foreground and background
- Dark modules on light backgrounds work best (black on white is optimal)
- Avoid light-on-dark color schemes when possible
- Test your QR code with multiple devices if using custom colors
- Remember that some scanners only read in black and white
While colored QR codes can be more visually appealing, they often sacrifice reliability. Always test thoroughly.
✨Error Correction Levels
QR codes have built-in error correction that allows for customization:
- Level L: Recovers up to 7% damaged data (minimal customization)
- Level M: Recovers up to 15% damaged data (standard for most uses)
- Level Q: Recovers up to 25% damaged data (good for logos)
- Level H: Recovers up to 30% damaged data (maximum customization)
Higher error correction allows for more customization but increases QR code density. Choose based on your design needs and scanning environment.
✨Logo Integration
Adding a logo to your QR code can enhance brand recognition:
- Keep logo size under 30% of the total QR code area
- Center the logo for optimal error correction
- Use transparent backgrounds for logos when possible
- Always use Level H error correction when adding logos
- Test extensively after adding a logo to ensure scannability
- Consider using a logo that matches your QR code's color scheme
A well-integrated logo can increase scan rates by making your QR code more recognizable and trustworthy.
✨Module Customization
The individual squares (modules) in a QR code can be customized:
- Rounded corners can improve aesthetics without reducing scannability
- Custom shapes (dots, stars, etc.) should be used cautiously
- Maintain the position markers (the three larger squares in the corners)
- Avoid distorting the overall grid pattern
- Test extensively with multiple devices after any module customization
While creative module designs can make your QR code stand out, they also increase the risk of scanning failures.
✨URL Shortening
Shorter URLs create less dense, more reliable QR codes:
- Always use URL shorteners for long web addresses
- Fewer characters = fewer modules = better scannability
- Consider branded short domains for professional use
- Avoid URL parameters when possible, or move them to the landing page
- Test the shortened URL before generating the final QR code
URL shortening not only improves scan reliability but also makes analytics tracking easier.
✨Mobile Optimization
Ensure your destination is optimized for mobile devices:
- All QR code destinations should be mobile-responsive
- Minimize load times (under 3 seconds is ideal)
- Optimize button sizes for touch interaction
- Ensure text is readable without zooming
- Test on multiple devices and screen sizes
- Consider the user's context when designing the landing page
Remember that nearly all QR code scans happen on mobile devices. A poor mobile experience will negate the benefits of using QR codes.
✨Clear Call-to-Action
Always accompany your QR code with clear instructions:
- Include a direct instruction (e.g., "Scan to view menu")
- Explain what value users will get from scanning
- Consider adding a brief preview of the destination
- Use action-oriented language
- Keep text concise but informative
- Include scanning instructions for less tech-savvy audiences
A QR code without context or instructions will receive significantly fewer scans, regardless of its design quality.
✨Dynamic QR Codes
Use dynamic QR codes for maximum flexibility:
- Allow you to change the destination without creating a new QR code
- Enable detailed analytics and tracking
- Facilitate A/B testing of different landing pages
- Provide the ability to pause or schedule campaigns
- Allow for content updates after printing materials
Dynamic QR codes are especially valuable for printed materials with long lifespans, where destination URLs might need to change over time.
✨Multi-Device Testing
Test your QR code across different devices and scanning apps:
- Test on both iOS and Android devices
- Use both built-in camera apps and third-party QR scanners
- Test with older device models when targeting broader audiences
- Verify scanning works in different lighting conditions
- Test at various distances and angles
- Have multiple people test to account for different scanning behaviors
Thorough testing is the only way to ensure your QR code will work reliably for all users.
✨Print Testing
For printed QR codes, additional testing is essential:
- Always test the actual printed QR code, not just the digital version
- Test after applying any finishes (lamination, varnish, etc.)
- Verify the code works on the final material (paper, plastic, fabric, etc.)
- Check for color shifts that might occur during printing
- Test in the actual environment where the QR code will be used
Printing processes can affect QR code scannability in ways that aren't apparent in digital versions.
✨Destination Verification
Regularly verify that your QR code destination works properly:
- Check for broken links or expired content
- Verify all interactive elements function correctly
- Test the complete user journey from scan to conversion
- Set up monitoring for destination uptime
- Implement redirects if URLs need to change
- Schedule regular audits of all active QR codes
A perfectly designed QR code is worthless if it leads to a broken or poorly functioning destination.
