URL Short What size should a QR code be on a business card, flyer or poster?
For a typical 20-character short link, URL Short's Print Optimizer recommends at least 10.5 mm (0.41") on a business card and 63.0 mm (2.48") on a poster, with 124 px and 372 px of image resolution. Longer links need bigger codes, so shorten first.
How the minimum size is worked out
A QR code is a grid of small squares called modules. How big it must be printed depends on two things: how many modules the link needs, and how big each module must be for a phone to see it from the distance people will stand.
URL Short's Print Optimizer estimates the module count from the length of your short link (21 per side for up to 25 characters, 25 up to 47, 29 up to 77, 33 up to 114, and so on). It multiplies that by a module size for each use: 0.5 mm on a business card, 0.7 mm on a sticker, 1.0 mm on a flyer or magazine, 2.0 mm on a screen, 3.0 mm on a poster and 10.0 mm on a billboard.
The pixel size is that printed size at the resolution the use calls for: 300 DPI for cards, stickers, flyers and magazines, 150 DPI for posters, 72 DPI for billboards and screens.
QR code size for print: worked example with a 20-character short link
| Intended use | Minimum Size | DPI | Recommended Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Card | 10.5 mm (0.41") | 300 | 124 px |
| Sticker | 14.7 mm (0.58") | 300 | 173 px |
| Flyer | 21.0 mm (0.83") | 300 | 248 px |
| Magazine | 21.0 mm (0.83") | 300 | 248 px |
| Screen Display | 42.0 mm (1.65") | 72 | 119 px |
| Poster | 63.0 mm (2.48") | 150 | 372 px |
| Billboard | 210.0 mm (8.27") | 72 | 595 px |
What if you print the long link instead?
Take a 100-character link with tracking tags. It needs about 33 x 33 modules, so every size grows by more than half.
| Intended use | Minimum Size | Recommended Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Business Card | 16.5 mm (0.65") | 194 px |
| Flyer | 33.0 mm (1.30") | 389 px |
| Poster | 99.0 mm (3.90") | 584 px |
| Billboard | 330.0 mm (12.99") | 935 px |
On a business card that is the difference between a code tucked in a corner and one that eats the layout. Shorten first; it costs nothing and saves the redesign.
How to check your QR code before it goes to print
- Shorten your link on the Shorten tab so the QR code appears.
- Open More and tap Print Optimizer.
- Under Intended Use, pick Business Card, Poster, Sticker, Flyer, Magazine, Billboard or Screen Display.
- Read Recommended Specifications: Minimum Size, Recommended Resolution, DPI and Contrast Ratio.
- Fix anything listed under Warnings, then export the image at least at the recommended pixel size.
What the warnings mean
- Low contrast may cause scanning issues: the ratio between squares and background is under 4.5:1. Black on white is 21.0:1; light gray on white is only 2.8:1.
- Low error correction not recommended for large prints: raise the error correction level for posters and billboards, which get dirty, torn or photographed at an angle.
- Center logo may reduce scannability at small sizes: a logo in the middle hides modules; on a business card, a clean code is safer.
Tips from people who print QR codes
- The minimum is a floor, not a target. Nobody has ever complained a code was too easy to scan, so if there is room, go bigger.
- Leave a blank margin around the code, roughly four modules wide.
- Matte paper scans better than gloss under shop lights.
- Put a few words next to the code saying what it opens.
Questions and answers
What size should a QR code be on a business card?
How big should a QR code be on a poster?
What size should a QR code be in pixels?
Can I make a QR code for my business card contact info?
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