Best QR Code Size for Printing
There is one rule you need, and it is easy to remember: the code should be at least a tenth as wide as the distance it is scanned from.
The 10:1 rule
Divide the reading distance by ten and that is your minimum width. Someone reading a menu from 30 cm needs a 3 cm code. Someone reading a shop window from 3 metres needs 30 cm. It is a rule of thumb rather than a standard, but it has held up across the industry for years and it errs on the safe side.
| Scan distance | Minimum width | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 20 cm | 2 cm | Business card, product label, packaging |
| 30 cm | 3 cm | Table menu, flyer, book page, ticket |
| 1 m | 10 cm | Poster, shop window, exhibition panel |
| 2 m | 20 cm | Shop sign, wall graphic, trade-show stand |
| 5 m | 50 cm | Estate agent board, hoarding, vehicle livery |
| 10 m | 1 m | Billboard, building wrap, roadside sign |
Then check it a second way
The 10:1 rule assumes an ordinary amount of data. Long content means more modules packed into the same square, and each module gets smaller. A short link might produce a 25×25 grid; a full contact card can push past 57×57. Same printed width, modules less than half the size.
So check the module size too. Divide the printed width by the number of modules across, including the four-module quiet zone on each side. Keep the result at or above 0.5 mm for normal print, and 0.6 mm for thermal, flexographic or anything on rough stock. The generator shows the module count under the preview so you can do this in your head.
Bigger is not free
There is no scanning penalty for going larger, only a design one. If you have the space, use it — the cheapest insurance against a bad print run is another centimetre.
Shorten the link before you shrink the code. Fewer characters means fewer modules, and fewer modules means each one is bigger at the same printed size.