QR code best practices before you print 10,000 of them
A bad QR code fails quietly, after it's already on the wall. Catch the problems before the print run.
A QR code that fails does it silently, after thousands are already printed, when nobody can scan the sign and you'll never hear about it. The fixes are all cheap and all happen before the print run. Here's the short list.
1. Make it dynamic
Use a dynamic code so the link can change later. This is the single most expensive thing to get wrong, because the only fix for a static code with a dead link is to reprint everything.
2. Size it for the scan distance
The rough rule is a 10:1 ratio: a code scanned from 10 feet away needs to be about 1 foot wide. Our size calculator and the scan distance reference give you exact numbers.
3. Leave the quiet zone
QR codes need a margin of empty space around them, the quiet zone, to be readable. Don't crop it tight or let other artwork crowd the edges.
4. Keep contrast high
Dark code on a light background scans best. Low-contrast color pairs and busy backgrounds are a leading cause of codes that won't scan.
5. Print vector, and test on a real phone
Print from an SVG so the code stays sharp at any size, and scan the final proof with an actual phone before you commit the run. Two minutes of testing saves a reprint.
You can make a code that ticks all five boxes free on the TangoQR builder.