Advice

QR codes on print: 7 rules to make sure they actually get scanned

Published 5 July 2026 · Welye advice

The QR code has become the natural bridge between print and the web: menus, booking pages, Google reviews, product pages… But a failed QR code is worse than none: a customer tries, fails, and bins your flyer. Here are the 7 rules we check in the workshop before every print run.

1. Minimum size: 2 × 2 cm — and the distance rule

On a flyer or business card scanned at 25–30 cm, a QR code needs to be at least 2 × 2 cm. Beyond that, use the simple ratio: scanning distance ÷ 10. A poster read from 2 m needs a 20 cm code; a shop window scanned from the pavement (1.5 m), 15 cm minimum.

2. The quiet zone: 4 modules of white space all around

Scanners need an empty margin around the code (the "quiet zone"): at least 4 times the size of one small square, in practice 3–4 mm on a flyer. Never butt the QR code against an edge, a photo or copy.

3. Contrast: dark on light, never the reverse

Readers are calibrated for a dark code on a light background. Black on white is king; very dark blue on off-white works. Avoid: white codes on coloured backgrounds ("inverted"), codes over photos, gradients inside the modules. And for print: 100% K black, not four-colour black — crisper on press.

4. A short — and trackable — URL

The longer the URL, the denser the code, the bigger it needs to be. Aim for a short URL (ideally a path on your own domain). Add UTM parameters (?utm_source=flyer): you'll finally know how many scans each print piece generates — the only real proof of print ROI.

5. Error correction level: M or Q

QR codes embed redundancy that keeps them readable even when damaged. For print, pick level M (15%) or Q (25%) — essential if the code gets laminated or lives outdoors. Level H (30%) is only useful if you put a logo in the centre.

6. Vector format

Export the QR code as vector (SVG, EPS, PDF) — never a 200-pixel PNG screenshot. A pixelated code enlarged goes blurry, and blur is scanning's enemy number one. Same principle as a logo — detailed in our artwork guide.

7. Test BEFORE the proof

Golden rule: scan the code on the final PDF, at actual size, with 2 different phones (one iPhone, one Android), in average light. Check the URL opens the right page… and that this page is fast on mobile. At Welye, this test is part of our free file check.

Where QR codes work wonders

• ✓Business card → vCard or booking page.
• ✓Restaurant / retail flyer → menu, booking, click & collect.
• ✓Counter display → your Google review page (local SEO's #1 lever).
• ✓Trade-show roll-up → meeting booking or catalogue download.
• ✓Product label → product page, instructions, traceability.

Unsure about your artwork? Send it with your quote request: we check the file — QR code included — free of charge before printing.