How to Design a QR Code That Always Scans

A branded QR code with your logo, colors and rounded dots looks far better than a plain black square, as long as it still scans. When we built our QR Code Generator, we decoded every design with QR reading software to see what works. These are the rules that matter.

How a QR code survives a logo

Every QR code contains error correction: extra data that lets a scanner rebuild the content when part of the code is damaged or covered. There are four levels:

Level	Can recover about	Use it for
L	7%	Plain codes with lots of data
M	15%	General use
Q	25%	Styled codes
H	30%	Codes with a logo in the middle

A center logo deliberately "damages" part of the code. With level H, the scanner can still read it. Our generator switches to level H automatically when you add a logo.

Rule 1: Dark dots on a light background

Scanners look for contrast between the dots and the background. Dark colors such as black, navy, deep red, dark green and purple on white or a very light tint work best. Gradients are fine as long as both ends of the gradient are dark.

Avoid light dots on a dark background. These "inverted" codes look stylish, but some scanner apps can't read them. Our generator warns you when contrast is low or the colors are inverted.

Rule 2: Keep the logo small

Even at level H, a logo can cover only part of the code. Keep it to roughly a third of the code's width or less, and leave a little empty space around it. A simple, bold logo also stays recognizable at small sizes.

Rule 3: Pick a robust dot style with a logo

Rounded, extra-rounded and "classy" dot styles keep the squares solid while softening their corners, and they scanned reliably in our tests, with or without a logo.

The small-circle "dots" style is different. Each circle covers less of its square than a full block. In our tests it scanned fine without a logo, but combined with a center logo it failed to decode for some content. If you love the dots look, skip the logo or test very carefully.

Rule 4: Less content, easier scanning

The more characters you put in a QR code, the more dots it needs, and the smaller each dot becomes when printed. A short link like example.com/menu makes a much simpler code than a long URL full of tracking parameters. For WiFi codes and contact cards, include only the fields you need.

Rule 5: Leave a quiet zone

Scanners need an empty margin around the code to find its edges. Don't crop the code tightly or place text and graphics right against it. Our generator always includes a margin, and the frame designs keep the code inside a clean background panel.

Rule 6: Print it big enough

A common rule of thumb is that a code can be scanned from about ten times its width. A 2.5 cm code works on a business card held in the hand. A poster read from 2 meters away needs a code about 20 cm wide. When in doubt, go bigger.

For print, download the SVG version. It is a vector file that stays perfectly sharp at any size. Use PNG at 1024 or 2048 px for screens and documents.

Rule 7: Test before you print

Always scan your final design before printing hundreds of copies:

• Test with at least two phones, ideally one iPhone and one Android.
• Test with the built-in camera app, not only a dedicated scanner app.
• Print one test copy at the real size and scan it in the real lighting.
• Check the content: open the link, join the WiFi, or save the contact.

Static QR codes never expire, but can't be changed

The codes made by our generator are static: the content is stored inside the code itself, so they work forever and don't depend on any service. The downside is that you can't edit a printed code. If the destination might change, point the code at a page on your own website and update that page instead.

Ideas for using QR codes

• Restaurant menus: link to your online menu or social media page.
• WiFi for guests: a WiFi code lets visitors join without typing the password.
• Business cards: a contact-card code adds your details to someone's phone in one tap.
• Shop counters: link to reviews, your location or your catalogue.
• Events and notices: link to registration forms or event details.

Checklist

• Dark dots on a light background, with good contrast.
• Logo about a third of the width or smaller, with error correction level H.
• Rounded or classy dots when using a logo.
• Short content and a visible quiet zone.
• Big enough for the scanning distance, and SVG for print.
• Tested on real phones before printing.