What size should a QR code be?
Big enough for the distance it's scanned from, and bigger again for long content. Here are the numbers.
Last reviewed October 14, 2026.
The 10-to-1 rule
A widely used rule of thumb: make the code at least one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from. A code scanned from 1 metre should be about 10 cm wide; from 30 cm, about 3 cm. It's a starting point for typical codes, not a guarantee. Always test a print at the real distance.
| Where | Typical scanning distance | Code width |
|---|---|---|
| Business card, product label (held in hand) | 15–25 cm (6–10 in) | 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1 in) |
| Menu, flyer, table card | 30 cm (1 ft) | 3 cm (1.2 in) |
| Poster on a wall | 1 m (3 ft) | 10 cm (4 in) |
| Shop window, sign across a room | 3 m (10 ft) | 30 cm (12 in) |
| Billboard, banner | 10 m (33 ft) | 1 m (3 ft) |
Longer content needs a bigger code
A QR code is a grid of squares called modules. The more you put in it, the more modules it needs, and each module must still be big enough for a camera to see. A common minimum is about 0.4 mm per module for codes held at arm's length. These examples were encoded with this site's generator at the default (medium) error correction:
| Content | Version | Modules | Smallest print at 0.4 mm/module |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short link (24 characters) | 2 | 25 × 25 | 14 mm (0.55 in) |
| Link with tracking (67 characters) | 5 | 37 × 37 | 18 mm (0.71 in) |
| WiFi network (55 characters) | 4 | 33 × 33 | 17 mm (0.67 in) |
| Contact card (175 characters) | 9 | 53 × 53 | 25 mm (0.98 in) |
The sizes include the blank border (the quiet zone) of 4 modules on each side. To keep a code small, keep its content short: use a short link to your own website rather than a long one with many parameters, and leave optional fields out of contact cards.
Error correction and logos
Higher error correction lets a code survive damage, dirt or a logo in the middle, but it adds modules. A link that fits in version 3 at medium correction may need version 4 or 5 at high. If you add a logo, error correction goes up to high, so allow for a slightly bigger code.
Print resolution
- Use the SVG for anything printed. It's vector artwork, sharp at any size, and printers and design apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Canva, Word) accept it.
- For a PNG, work out the pixels you need: width in inches × 300. A 3 cm (1.2 in) code needs about 360 pixels; a 10 cm (4 in) poster code about 1,200. Choose a size at least that big when downloading.
- Never stretch a code unevenly, and don't let your printer "smooth" it. Keep it square with crisp edges.
Test before you print the batch
Print one copy at the final size and scan it with two or three different phones, from the distance people will really stand, in the light it will really be in. That catches almost every problem before it's on a thousand flyers. For more, see making QR codes that scan every time.