Quiet zone
The quiet zone is the empty margin around a QR code, usually four modules wide, that lets a scanner tell where the code begins and ends.
A QR code needs clear space around it. The standard quiet zone is four modules of blank margin on every side. Without it, a scanner can't isolate the code from surrounding text, borders, or artwork, and the scan fails even though the code itself is perfect.
Cropping too tight is one of the most common reasons a printed code won't scan. When you place a code on a flyer or menu, leave the margin intact. If a code stopped reading after a design tweak, the quiet zone is the first thing to check. See why won't my QR code scan.
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