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QR code size for print, worked out for you

Tell it how far away people stand, and it gives you the smallest width that still scans.

A printed QR code should be about one tenth of the scan distance wide for a short link, plus its white margin: 3 cm for a card read from 30 cm, 10 cm for a poster read from a metre. Longer content means more squares, so add width. Enter your distance in the calculator here for the exact figure.

Find the smallest size that scans

For example 30 for a card in the hand, 100 for a poster on a wall, 300 for a sign.

Open the full size calculator and the printable poster

Big enough for the distance

A poster across the room needs a bigger code than a card in the hand. Match the size to where people stand.

Size a code in three steps

  1. Measure the distance

    Stand where your reader will stand and estimate the gap to the print: hand, table, wall or street.

  2. Pick what it holds

    A short link makes fewer squares than a long address or a contact card, so it can print smaller.

  3. Calculate and download

    Use the result as the minimum width, then download SVG or PDF so it stays sharp at any size.

What changes the size

Common sizes at a glance

Business card
2 to 2.5 cm, read from about 25 cm.
Flyer or table tent
3 to 4 cm, read from 30 to 40 cm.
Poster or window
10 cm or more, read from a metre and beyond.

Questions and answers

Before you print

Is it free?
Fixed codes are free: make as many as you like, download a PNG with no sign-up, and get every other format and print files with a free account. Editable codes come with a plan, a pass, Keep-alive or the 14-day trial.
Can I change the link after printing?
Yes, with an editable code. It holds a short link you control, so you can point the printed code somewhere new any time, and the next scan opens the new page. A fixed code keeps the link it was made with.
Can I use my own domain?
Yes. A custom domain is included on passes, from Starter, and during the trial. Starter covers one subdomain, for example go.yourbrand.com, and apex domains start on Pro.
What happens if I stop paying?
Editable codes work to the end of your paid period, and after a failed payment every code keeps working for 14 days. Turn codes back on within 12 months. Fixed codes keep working as long as their links do.
What is the smallest QR code that still scans?

Around 2 cm wide for a short link read from close up. Below that, the squares get too small for many phone cameras to separate.

Is bigger always better?

Up to a point. A code that fills a poster is easy to read from afar but awkward up close. Size it for the main distance, with a little extra.

Does the size rule work in inches?

Yes. The same ratio applies, and the calculator shows inches next to centimetres.

Why does my code scan on screen but not on paper?

Screens glow and paper reflects. Print softens edges too, so a printed code usually needs to be larger and higher in contrast than on screen.

Which file format keeps the code sharp?

SVG and PDF are vector files that scale without blur. Use PNG at a high resolution only when your printer asks for an image.

Can I check a printed proof?

Yes. Scan the proof with two different phones from the real distance before the full run.

Size it, then make it

Use the calculator above, then make the code at that width with the free generator.

Work out your size Browse all guides