Printing QR codes on business cards and flyers that actually scan
A QR code on paper has two ways to fail: it can stop working because a service behind it was switched off, or it can simply refuse to scan because of how it was printed. Both are avoidable before the print run, and both are far cheaper to fix on a proof than on a box of cards.
First, choose a code that cannot be switched off
For a business card or flyer, use a static code that contains your website, phone number or contact card directly. Scan the downloaded file and check the preview shows your own destination, not a short link on a generator's domain. People have lost entire print runs of cards and flyers to codes that were deactivated after a trial.
Size: bigger than you think
A good rule of thumb is a printed width of about a tenth of the distance people will scan from, white border included. On a business card, scanned from about 25 cm, that means roughly 2.5 cm. On a poster read from 2 metres, about 20 cm. The more a code contains, the more squares it has and the larger it must be. Keep the content short: a plain web address beats a long tracking link, and a simple contact card beats one with every field filled.
Border, contrast and colour
Leave a white border of at least four squares on every side. Designers often crop it or run text into it, and it is the most common reason a printed code will not scan. Print dark squares on a light, plain background. Colour is fine if the contrast stays high, but never invert the code to light on dark, and never place it over a photo or pattern.
Paper, finish and the proof test
Gloss and metallic finishes throw glare back into the camera; matte stock or matte laminate scans more reliably. Avoid placing a code across a fold or on a curved surface. Before approving the run, scan the printed proof — not the screen — with at least two different phones, in ordinary indoor light, at the real distance. Then check the destination opens properly on mobile data.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest QR code I can put on a business card?
About 2 to 2.5 cm wide including the white border works for a short web address. Longer content creates a denser code that needs more room.
Can I put my logo in the middle of the code?
It can work with high error correction, but it eats into the code's safety margin. On small print like a business card, a clean code next to your logo is more reliable.
My printed cards have a code that stopped working. Do I have to reprint?
Not necessarily. A sticker carrying a new static code, covering the old code and its white border completely, is a practical fix for cards you still have.
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