🔳 QR codes
How to create a free QR code that still works in print
Making a QR code is easy. Making one that scans reliably on any phone, from the distance at which people will actually use it, takes more care. Use the generator below and follow these practical guidelines.
4 min readUpdated
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A QR code is an image that stores a web address. A phone camera reads the code and opens the page. Since iOS 11 and Android 8, no separate app has been necessary because the native camera recognizes QR codes on its own. That change made QR codes a practical way to reach an online destination.
Create your QR code
- 1
Choose the destination
A QR code always points to a URL. If the destination does not exist yet, build the page first. You cannot repair a printed QR code that leads to a 404.
- 2
Paste the destination into the generator
You will find it below. It does not ask for an account or personal information.
- 3
Download a large PNG
Our download is 1920×1920 px, enough for poster-size printing without visible pixelation.
- 4
Test it before sending the design to print
Scan it with two different phones, one iPhone and one Android, from the actual distance at which it will be used.
How large should a printed QR code be?
Designers use a simple rule: each side of the QR code should be about one-tenth of the scanning distance.
| Placement | Scanning distance | Minimum QR side |
|---|---|---|
| Business card, menu, label | 20 cm | 2 cm |
| Flyer, packaging | 30 cm | 3 cm |
| Counter sign | 1 m | 10 cm |
| Street poster | 3 m | 30 cm |
| Roadside sign or high window | 10 m | 1 m |
The border is not decoration
Every QR code needs a white border, known as the quiet zone, at least four modules wide. If the pattern sits against text or a colored edge, many scanners will stop recognizing it. Never crop that margin.
Mistakes that stop a QR code from scanning
- Reversing the colors. The dark pattern must sit on a light background, never the other way around.
- Using too little contrast. Gray on gray, or colors with similar brightness, cannot be read reliably.
- Printing on a glossy or curved surface. Reflections, especially from plastic, interfere with scanning.
- Stretching the image. A distorted QR code is no longer square and may stop working.
- Covering the center with an oversized logo without increasing error correction.
- Removing the white margin around the code.
How to add a logo without breaking the code
QR codes include error correction, so the code can remain readable even if part of its surface is lost. The four levels, L, M, Q, and H, tolerate roughly 7% to 30% damage. If you add a logo in the middle, generate the code at level H and keep the logo below 25–30% of the area. Branded taap.at QR codes use level H by default, so the centered logo does not prevent scanning.
PNG or SVG?
PNG is a pixel-based format that opens everywhere and is accepted by any printer or social network. SVG is a vector format that scales indefinitely without losing quality, but many programs and print shops do not handle it well. That is why the default download here is a 1920×1920 PNG: it is the right choice for almost every practical use.
Frequently asked questions
Do free QR codes expire?
A static QR code never expires because the address is encoded in the image. The link it points to can expire. QR codes created here without an account point to a link that lasts 30 days; create an account and the link stops expiring, so the printed QR remains useful indefinitely.
How many times can a QR code be scanned?
Unlimited times. There is no scan cap.
Can I change the destination of an already printed QR code?
Only if it is dynamic, meaning it points to an editable short link. taap.at QR codes work this way: the QR points to your short link, and you change that link's destination whenever you want.
Do I need an app to scan a QR code?
No. The camera on any modern iPhone or Android phone reads QR codes without an app. Point the camera and wait for the on-screen prompt.
Can I print a QR code in color?
Yes, provided the pattern is clearly darker than the background. Avoid gradients in the pattern and very light colors such as yellow.
Make it yours and track every click
Create a free account so your links do not expire and you can measure country, device, and source.