QR Code Print Size: How Big Should It Be?

The math that decides whether your printed code scans on the first try.

The 1:10 rule

The industry rule of thumb: a QR code should be at least 1/10th of the distance it will be scanned from. Scanning from 50 cm away (a flyer in hand)? Print at least 5 cm wide. A poster scanned from 3 m needs a code around 30 cm wide.

Quick reference

• Business card: 2 × 2 cm minimum
• Flyer / menu / table tent: 3–5 cm
• A4 poster: 5–8 cm
• Shop window / standee: 10–15 cm
• Billboard: follow 1:10 strictly — usually 1 m+

Density matters too

The more data you encode, the more modules (squares) the code contains, and the smaller each module gets at the same print size. A short URL might be a 25×25 grid; a full vCard can be 45×45+. Dense codes need to be printed larger. Keep URLs short where you can.

Three rules that prevent failed scans

• Quiet zone: leave a clean margin around the code at least 4 modules wide. Never crop tight against the pattern.
• Contrast: dark code on a light background, roughly 3:1 contrast or better. Avoid light-on-dark (inverted) codes — many scanner apps reject them.
• Test at distance: print one copy, step to the real scanning distance, and scan with two different phones before the full print run.