The practical answer
Choose the physical size after you know the content, viewing distance and print method. Preserve the clear border, keep the code square and approve a real printed sample. A pixel dimension alone is not a print-size specification.
What to check for each print placement
| Placement | What changes the result | Useful first check |
|---|---|---|
| Business card or product insert | Small available area and dense contact information | Use a short payload and scan the actual card at a comfortable distance. |
| Table sign or counter card | Glare, holders, spills and seated viewing angles | Test with the holder fitted and the normal venue lighting. |
| Window or wall poster | Longer viewing distance and reflections | Make the code larger, then check from the position where visitors will stand. |
| Product label | Curved surfaces, seams and printer resolution | Choose a flat area and scan after the label is attached. |
Start with the job, not a universal minimum
A QR code on a business card is scanned at arm’s length. A window display may be scanned from the footpath. These are different jobs. There is no single size that works for every amount of data, camera, print process and viewing distance. As a practical starting point for a short, high-contrast link, try around 25–30 mm square for a handheld item and make it larger when there is room. Treat this as a starting point for testing, not a guaranteed minimum.
Protect the quiet zone
The blank border is part of a usable QR code. DENSO WAVE specifies four modules of clear space on every side. A module is one small square in the pattern. Our generator keeps at least that border in the export. Do not crop it away, put a caption inside it or let surrounding artwork run into it.
Use a shorter payload before squeezing the image
Compare a short website address with a full contact card. The contact card usually needs more modules to hold its information. At the same printed width, each module becomes smaller. If a design has limited room, remove unnecessary contact fields or link to a page instead. Do not remove parts of a URL without checking that it still works.
Choose a suitable export
SVG is useful when a designer needs to resize artwork without introducing pixel blur. PNG has a fixed pixel count, so check its effective resolution at the final print size. Our single-code PDF places a high-resolution code on A4 paper; it is a convenient print layout, not a vector replacement for SVG. Print at actual size unless you have tested a different scale.
Test the final material
Print one sample using the intended printer and paper. Try at least two phones, the intended distance and realistic lighting. Test a laminated card after lamination because reflections can change the result. Try the code at an angle as well as straight on. A successful scan from a bright computer screen does not prove a small label will work.
A simple print hand-off
Send your printer the SVG, the required finished dimensions and an instruction to preserve the blank border and proportions. Include a screenshot of the intended destination so the team can check the right code. Keep a dated master copy of the artwork. For a large run, approve a physical proof before production.
Worked example: modules, border and physical width
Suppose a generated pattern has 29 modules across. Adding a four-module quiet zone on both sides gives 37 modules across the complete image. If that image is printed 30 mm wide, each module is about 0.81 mm wide (30 ÷ 37). This calculation describes your artwork; it does not certify that every camera will read it. Extra data can increase the module count, making each square smaller at the same overall width.
Illustrative example, not a customer case study.
A checklist to use on your next code
- Record the final width in millimetres, including the quiet zone.
- Supply the original export and preserve its proportions.
- Check a proof made with the final paper, finish and printer.
- Retest after adding a logo, resizing, laminating or placing the code on packaging.