QR code print size: test the code, paper and distance

Preserve the quiet zone

The small squares in a QR are called modules. DENSO WAVE specifies a clear margin four modules wide on every side of a standard QR. This quiet zone helps a camera separate the code from nearby artwork.

Do not crop the white border to squeeze a QR into a layout. Keep text, frames and logos outside it. Use dark modules on a light, uniform background for an initial proof; test decorative variations separately.

Match the test to the printed placement

Business card or flyer: test handheld at a natural reading distance. Leave room for the border and a clear instruction such as ‘Scan for the catalogue’. A longer URL creates a denser pattern, which can need more space.

Poster or property sign: test from where a person can actually stand. A small desk proof scanned at arm’s length does not validate a street sign. Increase the code size until scans are reliable from the intended distance.

Packaging label: test after the label is applied to the real container. Curvature, folds, seams and reflections can hide modules even when the flat artwork works.

Calculate image resolution without confusing it with scannability

For a raster image, required pixels = printed width in inches × print resolution in DPI. A 30 mm image at 300 DPI needs about 354 pixels across: 30 ÷ 25.4 × 300. This is a resolution calculation, not a promise that every 30 mm QR scans.

The free generator exports a 1,024-pixel PNG and a scalable SVG. Use vector artwork when your layout tool supports it. Keep edges sharp and avoid stretching the QR into a rectangle. The white border is part of the exported image’s width.

Run this approval check before the full print run

Print at the final size on the intended material. Scan on more than one phone, in the expected lighting and from the intended distance. Check both recognition and the destination loading over a mobile connection.

For a dynamic QR, save it before exporting and test a destination change using the same proof. Keep a dated approved sample with the artwork so a later layout change does not silently shrink or crop the code.