How to print a QR code that scans reliably
A QR code that scans on screen can still fail on a small, glossy, or crowded print. Check the final physical result before ordering a batch of cards, menus, posters, or labels.
Choose PNG or SVG
Use SVG when your layout or print supplier supports it: its vector shapes remain sharp when resized. Use PNG at sufficient pixel dimensions for the final size, and avoid enlarging a small image until it becomes blurry. For example, a 600-pixel image printed at two inches has 300 pixels per inch; that alone does not guarantee scanning.
Preserve contrast and clear space
Start with dark modules on a plain light background. Keep the blank border around the code, called the quiet zone, and do not crop it away or place text inside it. Avoid busy backgrounds, pale foreground colors, and gradients that lose contrast in parts of the code.
Match the size to the placement
A code on a handheld business card has different needs from one on a poster scanned at a distance. Longer content produces a denser pattern that may need more space. There is no single physical size that works for every code and camera. Keep the code square and enlarge it if scanning is slow at the intended distance.
Test an actual sample
Print one copy at the final size and on a representative material. Scan it with several phones in the lighting and at the distance your visitors will use. Check the opened URL, joined network, contact details, or message draft. For a menu card, test it on the table under normal restaurant lighting. If it fails, increase size, simplify styling, shorten content where possible, or remove the logo, then test again.