Sure-QR guide
QR code print-test checklist
Run these five checks on a single proof and you will catch nearly every reason a print run fails to scan. They take about ten minutes.
1. Print at actual size, on the real material
Do not judge a code on a screen, and do not judge it from a scaled proof. Print it at the exact dimensions it will appear at, on the same stock, with the same finish.
Gloss, varnish, lamination and uncoated card all change how much light comes back to the camera. A code that reads perfectly on office paper can fail on a glossy carton.
2. Test on two different phones
One iPhone and one Android, ideally not both brand new. Camera quality, autofocus behaviour and the built-in decoder all differ, and a marginal code will read on one and not the other.
Test in the light the code will actually live in: a dim restaurant, a bright shop window, a warehouse. Good office lighting hides problems.
3. Confirm the destination actually loads
Scan it and follow it through on mobile data, not office wifi. Check the page loads, check it is the right page, and check it is readable on a phone.
If it is a dynamic code, this is also the moment to confirm the fallback is set to something sensible. Scan, then read the destination and fallback back off your dashboard.
4. Leave a quiet zone of 10 to 15 percent
A QR code needs blank space around all four sides to be found by a camera. Roughly 10 to 15 percent of the code's own width is a safe margin.
The usual culprits are a border rule drawn too close, body text crowding the code, or a background image running underneath it. Check the margin on the printed proof, not in the design file.
5. Do not go below about 2cm square
Two centimetres is the practical floor for general use. Below that you are depending on good light, a steady hand and a recent camera.
For anything scanned from a distance, size up: a code should be around one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from. Two metres means roughly 20cm.
One more, if the code carries a logo
A logo covers part of the pattern. Sure-QR compensates automatically by raising the error correction level, but there is still a limit — an oversized logo on a small print is the most common self-inflicted failure.
Print it, scan it, and if it is marginal, make the logo smaller rather than the code bigger.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my QR code scan on screen but not in print?
- Almost always size, contrast, or quiet zone. Screens are backlit and high contrast; paper is not. Print at final size and re-test rather than adjusting the design file again.
- What is a quiet zone?
- The blank margin around a QR code that lets a camera find its edges. Allow roughly 10 to 15 percent of the code's width on all four sides, with nothing printed in it.
- Can I print a QR code in colour?
- Yes, as long as the pattern is clearly darker than the background. Light-on-dark codes and low-contrast pairings fail on many phones. Test before committing.
- Should I use PNG or SVG for printing?
- SVG. It is a vector file, so it stays sharp at any size and your printer can scale it without any loss. Use PNG for screens and for anything that cannot accept vectors.
- How do I test a dynamic code before the destination page exists?
- Point it at a placeholder page you control, run the print test, then change the destination once the real page is live. That is exactly what a dynamic code is for.