Make the code about one tenth as wide as the distance people will scan it from, keep a clear white margin around it, and test a printed proof before you print many copies.
Sizes for common uses
| Where it’s printed | Scanning distance | Code width |
|---|---|---|
| Business card or product label | 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) | 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1 in) |
| Flyer, menu or packaging | 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in) | 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) |
| Poster on a wall | 1 to 2 m (3 to 6.5 ft) | 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in) |
| Window sign or banner | 3 to 5 m (10 to 16 ft) | 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) |
These sizes follow a long-standing rule of thumb: a well-lit, black-and-white code scanned straight on can be read from about 10 times its width. In poor light or at an angle, make it bigger.
Keep the margin
Scanners need an empty margin around the code, called the quiet zone, to find where it starts. The SVG you get by adding /qr to a zou.sh link already includes a margin four modules wide. Don’t crop it, and don’t let text, borders or photos touch the code.
Shorter links scan more easily
A short link needs fewer squares, so each square is bigger at the same print size. A zou.sh link with a 5-character code fits in a 25 × 25 grid, which stays readable even on a business card. Long custom endings make the grid denser, so keep endings short for small prints.
Test before you print
- Print one copy at the final size, on the final material if you can.
- Scan it with two different phones, from the real distance and in the real light.
- Check where it leads: add
+to the short link to see its destination.
The guide How to make a QR code for a link that scans every time explains how module size changes with link length, with more examples.
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