Make a QR code for printing
Vector output, sensible sizing and the white margin that most people delete.
QR codes fail in print for three reasons: the image was too small and printed blurry, the white border was cropped off, or the contrast was too low. This gives you a vector SVG or PDF, so it is sharp at any size from a business card to a billboard, keeps the quiet zone the standard requires, and decodes the finished artwork before you download it. Then you test one print, which nothing can replace.
How to make a QR code for printing
- 1
Make the code
Keep the content short. A shorter link makes bigger modules, and bigger modules scan from further away.
- 2
Download vector
SVG for a designer, PDF to print directly. Both scale without going soft; a small PNG stretched on a poster does not.
- 3
Respect the quiet zone
The white margin around the code is part of the code. Do not crop it, do not print over it, and do not let a background photo run into it.
Why vector is not a detail
A QR code is a grid of hard edges, which is exactly what scaling a bitmap destroys. Printed from vector, every module has a crisp edge at any size, and a crisp edge is what the scanner is looking for.
Frequently asked questions
How big should a printed QR code be?+
A rough rule is a tenth of the scanning distance: two centimetres for a code read at arm length on a table, ten centimetres for a poster read from a metre, much bigger for a hoarding.
SVG or PDF?+
PDF if you are printing it yourself or sending it to a print shop. SVG if a designer is placing it in artwork. PNG only for screens, and then at a generous pixel size.
Can I print it in my brand colour?+
Yes, if it stays dark on a light background. The contrast check catches the combinations that scan on your screen and fail on paper.
Should I test it?+
Always. Print one, scan it with an ordinary phone, in the light the code will actually live in. The check here proves the image decodes; only paper proves the print does.