QR code best practices: size, contrast, and placement

A QR code only works if it scans on the first try. These rules keep your codes reliable in the real world.

Size: match the scanning distance

The farther away people scan from, the bigger the code needs to be. Two rules of thumb:

1. Never print smaller than 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 × 0.8 in) — the practical minimum for close-range scans like menus and business cards.
2. For distance, use the 10:1 rule. Take the farthest distance someone will scan from and divide by ten — that's your minimum code width. A poster scanned from 3 meters away needs a code at least 30 cm wide.

Contrast: dark on light

Scanners look for a dark pattern on a light background. Keep strong contrast between the code and its background, and avoid inverting the colors (light code on dark background) — many scanners struggle with it. Qbit's design studio checks contrast for you as you style a code.

Protect the quiet zone

Leave a clear margin around the code — at least the width of four modules. Text, borders, or artwork crowding the edges is one of the most common reasons codes fail to scan.

Placement

• Put codes at a comfortable height and angle — roughly eye-to-waist level, on a flat surface.
• Avoid glossy laminates, curved bottles, and glass with glare when you can; if you can't, increase the size.
• Give people a reason to scan: a short call to action ("Scan to see the menu") reliably outperforms a bare code.

One code, one job

Resist the urge to cram multiple codes side by side — scanners will grab whichever is closest, and people won't know which to point at. One code per destination, clearly labeled.

Follow these and the last step is simple: test before you print.