Guides → What size should a QR code be?
What size should a QR code be?
One rule covers almost every case: make the code about one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from, and never go below 2cm. Everything below is that rule applied to specific surfaces.
The 10:1 rule
Scanned from 30cm (a menu in your hand)? 3cm code. From 3 metres (a yard sign)? 30cm code. From 10 metres (a billboard)? A metre across.
It's a floor, not a target. Going bigger costs you layout space and nothing else; going smaller costs you scans you'll never know you missed.
Absolute minimums
About 2cm × 2cm is the practical floor for a short URL at normal print quality. Below that, module edges blur, camera autofocus struggles, and your failure rate climbs sharply on older phones.
Long URLs need more size. A code holding 100 characters has far more modules than one holding 20, and each module still has to be resolvable.
Don't forget the quiet zone
The blank margin around the code — roughly four modules wide — is part of the code, not padding you can trim. Your 2cm code needs about 2.4cm of clear space. Budget for it in the layout rather than discovering it at proof stage.
Sizes by surface
| Where | Code size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | ~1.5–2cm | Scanned in the hand, 20–30cm away |
| Menu / table tent | 2–3cm | Arm's length, often in low light |
| Flyer / A5 leaflet | 2.5–3cm | Held, 30cm away |
| Product packaging | 2–3cm | Close range, but watch curves and seams |
| A3 / A2 poster | 5–10cm | Scanned from 0.5–1m in a corridor or window |
| Yard sign / A-board | 20–30cm | 2–3m away, sometimes from a car |
| Shop window | 10–20cm | 1–2m through glass, watch for glare |
| Billboard | 1m+ | 10m+, and assume nobody stops walking |
Try it
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Questions
What's the smallest a QR code can be?
Around 2cm square for a short URL in decent print. Smaller is possible in ideal conditions with a very short destination, but reliability drops fast and you won't hear from the people it failed for.
Does a longer URL need a bigger code?
Yes. More characters means more modules in the same square, so each module gets smaller. This is a practical reason to use a short link on anything printed small.
How much white space does a QR code need?
About four modules on every side — roughly 10% of the code's width. Cropping it is one of the most common reasons a professionally designed code fails.
Related
- Why isn't my QR code scanning? — Printed QR code won't scan? It's almost always size, contrast, quiet zone or finish. Work through these in order.
- QR codes for real estate yard signs — One sign, a new listing every few weeks. Make a QR code you can re-point to the next property instead of reprinting riders.
- QR codes for business cards — Put a QR code on your business card that still works after you change jobs, sites or phone numbers. Free generator, editable codes.