QR Code Size Chart for Printing
Updated July 2026 · Reference guide — bookmark or link freely
Most QR codes that fail in the real world fail for one boring reason: they were printed too small for the distance people scan them from. This chart gives you minimum and comfortable sizes for every common use, plus the one formula that covers anything not listed.
The 10:1 rule
A code scanned from 10 inches away should be at least 1 inch wide. Scanned from 10 feet, at least 1 foot wide. This ratio bakes in comfortable margins for average phone cameras, imperfect lighting, and slightly shaky hands. When in doubt, round up — a too-big code costs nothing, a too-small one costs the scan.
Size chart by use
| Placement | Typical scan distance | Minimum size | Comfortable size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 4–10 in / 10–25 cm | 0.8 × 0.8 in / 2 cm | 1 × 1 in / 2.5 cm |
| Flyer or brochure | 8–14 in / 20–35 cm | 1 × 1 in / 2.5 cm | 1.2 × 1.2 in / 3 cm |
| Product packaging / label | 6–12 in / 15–30 cm | 0.8 × 0.8 in / 2 cm | 1 × 1 in / 2.5 cm |
| Table tent / menu | 10–18 in / 25–45 cm | 1.2 × 1.2 in / 3 cm | 1.5–2 in / 4–5 cm |
| Counter sign / register card | 1–2 ft / 30–60 cm | 1.5 × 1.5 in / 4 cm | 2 × 2 in / 5 cm |
| Window sticker / door sign | 2–4 ft / 60–120 cm | 2.5 × 2.5 in / 6.5 cm | 4 × 4 in / 10 cm |
| Wall poster | 3–6 ft / 1–2 m | 4 × 4 in / 10 cm | 6–8 in / 15–20 cm |
| Trade show banner | 6–10 ft / 2–3 m | 8 × 8 in / 20 cm | 12 × 12 in / 30 cm |
| Vehicle wrap | 10–15 ft / 3–4.5 m | 12 × 12 in / 30 cm | 18 × 18 in / 45 cm |
| Billboard* | 50+ ft / 15+ m | 5 × 5 ft / 1.5 m | Bigger than you think |
*Billboard QR codes are famously questionable — nobody should scan while driving. If you must, target pedestrian sightlines, not traffic.
Resolution: pixels for the print shop
Print shops want 300 DPI (dots per inch), so multiply your printed size in inches by 300 to get the pixels you need: a 2-inch code needs 600 px, a 4-inch code needs 1200 px. Our generator's download sizes map cleanly: 512 px covers anything up to ~1.7 in, 1024 px up to ~3.4 in, 2048 px up to ~6.8 in. For anything larger — or to skip the math entirely — download the SVG, which scales to any size, from postage stamp to billboard, with zero quality loss. Always scale down, never up: shrinking a big file stays crisp, enlarging a small one gets blurry, and blurry edges are the top cause of unscannable prints.
Three rules that matter as much as size
- Quiet zone. Leave empty background around the code — at least 4 of the code's small squares on every side. Text, borders, or artwork crowding the code confuse scanners as reliably as making it too small.
- Contrast. Dark code on light background. Colored codes work (navy, forest green, burgundy on white or cream all scan well); light-on-dark, gold, pastel, and low-contrast pairings fail. Our generator warns you when a combination is risky.
- Density. The more data in a code, the finer its pattern and the bigger it must print. A short URL makes a forgiving code; a fully loaded vCard should print a notch larger than this chart's minimums. Shorter content = more scannable code.
The final gate: test at actual size
Before any print run: print one copy at real size, in real colors, and scan it under the lighting where it will live — with at least two different phones. Dim restaurant lighting and glossy lamination have humbled many codes that looked perfect on screen. Thirty seconds of testing beats a box of reprints.
Generate a print-ready QR code — PNG up to 2048px or infinite-resolution SVG →