Work out what size to print a QR code
Paste what the code will hold and how far away people will stand. You get the smallest size that scans, worked out from the code's real number of squares.
Your codes are made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Paste the exact link or text. Longer content needs more squares, so the code must be printed larger.
How far away people will stand: about 20 cm for a card in the hand, 1 m for a table or counter, 2 to 5 m for a wall sign.
Smallest print size
10 cm (3.94 in)
Square, not counting the white margin. Leave 13 cm (5.20 in) for the code and its 4-square margin.
- Code
- Version 2 · 25×25 squares · Level M
- Each square
- 4.00 mm
- Scanned from
- 1 m (3.3 ft)
| Scanned from | Smallest code | With margin |
|---|---|---|
| 20 cm (0.7 ft) | 2.0 cm (0.79 in) | 2.6 cm (1.04 in) |
| 50 cm (1.6 ft) | 5.0 cm (1.97 in) | 6.6 cm (2.60 in) |
| 1 m (3.3 ft) | 10 cm (3.94 in) | 13 cm (5.20 in) |
| 2 m (6.6 ft) | 20 cm (7.87 in) | 26 cm (10.4 in) |
| 3 m (9.8 ft) | 30 cm (11.8 in) | 40 cm (15.6 in) |
| 5 m (16.4 ft) | 50 cm (19.7 in) | 66 cm (26.0 in) |
| 10 m (32.8 ft) | 100 cm (39.4 in) | 132 cm (52.0 in) |
Already printed? Find how far away it scans
How to work out what size to print a QR code
- 01Paste the exact link or text the code will hold.
- 02Choose the error-correction level. Use H if the code will have a logo.
- 03Enter how far away people will scan it from.
- 04Read the smallest size, and leave room for the white margin around it.
Questions
How big should a QR code be?
It depends on the scanning distance and how much the code holds. A simple link code scans from about ten times its width, so a 2 cm code works in the hand and a 20 cm code works from about 2 m. Longer content means more, smaller squares, so the code must be bigger. The calculator uses your real content to work it out.
What is the smallest a QR code can be printed?
About 2 cm (0.8 in) wide for a short link. Below roughly half a millimetre per square, most phone cameras can't focus close enough to read the code, however near they are.
Why does a longer link need a bigger code?
Each extra character adds squares. The same print size then has smaller squares, which a camera can only resolve from closer. Removing tracking parameters or using a shorter address of your own makes the code simpler and smaller.
Does the white border count?
The sizes are for the code itself. It also needs a clear margin of 4 squares on every side, so the calculator shows the space to leave on the page too. Don't let text or edges cut into that margin.
Does error correction change the size?
Yes. Higher levels add squares so the code survives damage or a logo, which makes it denser. Level H with a logo can need a noticeably larger print than level L.
How accurate is this?
It uses a common rule of thumb that suits most modern phones in normal light. Glossy surfaces, dim light, curved bottles, and low contrast all make scanning harder, so print a test at your chosen size and scan it where it will be used.
Do you see what I type?
No. Your codes are made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
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QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED. Codes are read back with ZXing-C++ and zxing-wasm (licences).