How to make a QR code for a flyer
A flyer gets one shot at a glance. Here's how to make the code on it actually work.
To put a working QR code on a flyer, make a dynamic code pointed at your link, size it for a phone held at arm's length, give it a clear margin, and test the printed proof before you run the stack. Here's each step.
1. Make the code dynamic
Flyers outlive their first link. The event page moves, the signup form changes, the offer ends. A dynamic code lets you repoint the same printed flyer instead of reprinting, so start there.
2. Add a clear call to action
People don't scan a bare square. Put a short line next to it: "Scan for tickets," "Scan to RSVP," "Menu inside." The code is the mechanism; the words are the reason.
3. Size it for arm's length
On a handheld flyer, a code around 2 to 3 cm square scans comfortably. If the flyer will also be posted on a wall, size up for the viewing distance. Our size calculator turns distance into a minimum size.
4. Keep the quiet zone
Leave a margin of empty space around the code, the quiet zone, so the scanner can find it. Don't tuck it into a corner or let artwork run up to its edge.
5. Test the proof, then print
Print one flyer and scan it with a real phone, ideally more than one. If it reads cleanly at the distance people will actually hold it, you're good to run the rest. If it doesn't, our guide to codes that won't scan walks through the usual culprits.
You can make a flyer-ready code in a minute on the TangoQR builder, free.