QR Code Minimum Size for Printing

A QR code that is too small will not scan. Enter the distance from which it will be read: the minimum size for your code appears, white margin included, with the image resolution needed.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • Never expires
  • No scan tracking

Static QR codes: the content is written into the code itself, with no redirection through our servers. It will always work, unlike “dynamic” QR codes that stop working at the end of a free trial. Static vs. dynamic: the difference

What should your QR code open?

Website, social media page, form, online menu…

    Customization

    Style presets
    Colors
    Shapes
    Modules
    Corner finder pattern outline
    Corner finder pattern center
    Logo in the center

    PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG, 2 MB at most. The image stays on your device. The error correction level switches to H to make up for the covered area.

    Frame and call to action
    Frame

    32 characters at most. A short prompt works best.

    Error correction M

    Share of the code that can be damaged, dirty or covered without preventing reading. The higher it is, the more modules the code has.

    100% local processing, nothing is uploaded

    How does it work?

    Create your code, then open Minimum print size and enter the distance from which it will be scanned. The calculation follows a simple rule: each module must measure at least 1/250th of the reading distance (4 mm at 1 m), never less than 0.4 mm, and the printed code is at least 2 cm (0.8 in) per side. A 25-module code can thus be read from 10 times its width.

    The size therefore depends on the code’s density: the longer the content, the more modules it has and the larger it must be. The result includes the white margin (4 modules on each side, never to be trimmed), with the image width needed for printing at 300 dpi.

    These values are minimums for good conditions: go larger for low light, a glossy or curved surface, or an audience that will scan from a distance. Export as SVG or PDF: the code stays sharp at any size.

    Examples

    A poster read from 1 m

    A short code of 25 × 25 modules scanned from 1 m (3 ft) must measure 13.2 cm (5.2 in) per side including the margin (10 cm for the code alone, 4 mm modules). As a PNG for printing at 300 dpi: at least 1,560 pixels wide.

    Dense content on a flyer

    A code of 53 × 53 modules (an event with its address) read from 30 cm (1 ft) needs 7.4 cm (2.9 in), with 1.2 mm modules. The same content shortened to 25 × 25 modules would fit in 4 cm (1.6 in).

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the absolute minimum size of a QR code?
    About 2 × 2 cm (0.8 × 0.8 in) for a short code read up close (label, business card). Below that, the modules become too small for many cameras, especially with average print quality.
    Why keep a white margin around the code?
    The standard requires a “quiet zone” of 4 modules: it lets the reader find where the code starts. A code pressed against an image or text reads much less well. The generator’s exports always include it.
    What resolution for a printed PNG?
    300 pixels per inch: the calculator gives the width in pixels for the size you want. To avoid any calculation, export as SVG or PDF, which are vector formats and sharp at any size.
    Which format should I choose: SVG, PNG or PDF?
    SVG for printing and layout software (Canva, Illustrator, InDesign, Affinity): as a vector format, it stays sharp at any size. PNG for a Word document, an email or a website, at 1,024 px or more. PDF to print an A4 sheet directly with the code at the size you want.
    Will my QR code expire?
    No. The QR codes created here are static: your link, text or credentials are written into the pattern of the code itself. There is no server between the phone and your content, so there is nothing to renew or pay for: the code will work as long as the content (your website, for example) exists.

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