QR code size guide: how big should a printed QR code be?
Updated 4 November 2026
How small a QR code can go depends on three things: how far away the phone will be, how much information the code holds, and how well it is printed. No single size is safe for every job, but there are sensible starting points, and one check that settles the question: print it at its final size and try to scan it.
The figures below are general print guidance, not measurements of any particular phone or printer. Use them to choose a size, then test.
The 10:1 rule of thumb
A common starting point is to allow about 1 cm of code width for every 10 cm of scanning distance. A 3 cm code suits a phone held about 30 cm away. A 30 cm code suits someone standing about 3 m away. It is a rough ratio: cameras differ, and low light, glare and a sharp viewing angle all reduce the range, so round up where you have the space.
- •Business card, read in the hand: 2 to 2.5 cm
- •Flyer, leaflet or table card, read at arm’s length: 3 to 4 cm
- •Poster people can walk right up to: 6 to 10 cm
- •Poster read from 2 to 3 m away: 20 to 30 cm
- •Window graphic or sign read from about 5 m: around 50 cm
- •Parked vehicle read from about 10 m: around 1 m
Why module size matters more than overall size
A QR code is a grid of small squares called modules. A camera has to make out each module, not just the code as a whole, so two codes of the same width can behave quite differently. The one holding more data has more modules, and each one is smaller.
That is the practical case for short links. A Host Dada code holds only a short redirect link, which typically gives a grid of about 30 to 40 modules across (the higher end with a logo), plus a margin of 4 modules on each side. As a comparison, we generated a static code holding a sample contact card of about 270 characters, and it needed a 65-module grid at medium error correction.
Here is the arithmetic. Including its margin, a 2 cm Host Dada code has modules of roughly 0.4 to 0.55 mm, and a 3 cm code has modules of roughly 0.6 to 0.8 mm. The 2 cm contact-card code would be down to about 0.27 mm. As a cautious working limit on ordinary paper, try to keep modules at 0.4 mm or larger, and speak to your printer before going smaller.
Logos make the grid denser
A logo covers part of the pattern, so the code needs spare data to recover what is hidden. When you add a logo, we switch to the highest error correction level and limit the logo to about a fifth of the code’s width. That extra data means a larger grid, so at the same printed size a code with a logo has smaller modules than one without.
If you are working close to the minimum size, as on a small label, it is worth comparing a version with no logo. A plain code that scans first time is better than a branded one that doesn’t.
Margins, contrast and finish
- •Keep the quiet zone. The clear margin is part of the code. Every PNG and SVG we produce includes 4 modules of it, so count it when you measure and don’t crop it or let artwork run into it.
- •Use strong contrast. Dark on light is safest. We refuse colour pairs below a 3:1 contrast ratio, and warn you if the contrast is under 4:1 or the pattern is lighter than its background.
- •Watch the finish. Foil, heavy gloss and strongly textured stock can break up the pattern. A matt area behind the code usually helps.
- •Be careful with curves. On a bottle or tube, a wide code bends away from the camera, so keep it small relative to the curve and test on the real item.
Which file to send to the printer
PNG downloads come in 512, 1024, 2048 or 4096 pixels. At 300 dpi, those print at about 4.3 cm, 8.7 cm, 17 cm and 35 cm wide. For anything larger, or when your printer asks for vector artwork, use the SVG: the pattern stays sharp at any size. A logo inside an SVG is still a bitmap, and uploaded logos are limited to 1024 pixels, so check a proof on very large jobs.
PNG and SVG downloads are included on every plan.
The test that settles it
Print one copy at final size on the final material, or the nearest proof you can get. Scan it from the real distance, in the real lighting, with two or three different phones, including an older one. If it takes more than a moment to read, go bigger.
A dynamic code lets you change the destination after printing, but it can’t rescue a code printed too small. Size is the one decision you have to get right before the run. For the details of specific jobs, see our guides to business cards, posters and flyers and restaurant menus.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the minimum size for a printed QR code?
- For a code scanned close up, treat about 2 x 2 cm as the practical minimum. Codes holding more data, or carrying a logo, may need more. Always test at final size.
- How far away can a QR code be scanned?
- A common rule of thumb is about 10 times the code’s width, so a 10 cm code suits roughly 1 m. Real results depend on the phone, the light and the angle.
- Should I use PNG or SVG for printing?
- Use SVG when your printer accepts vector artwork or the code will be large, because the pattern stays sharp at any size. High-resolution PNG is fine for smaller, everyday print.
- Does a logo mean the code has to be bigger?
- Often, yes. A logo needs higher error correction, which creates a denser grid with smaller modules at the same printed size.