Guide
How to make a QR code that people actually scan
7 steps · about 10 minutes, free
A QR code is a quick way to take someone from paper to your website, menu, Wi-Fi or contact details. Making one takes a minute — making one that scans every time, on every phone, takes a few simple rules. This guide covers them all. Make yours as you read with the free Owlvix QR code generator: no sign-up, and the codes never expire.
Before you start
- What it should open: a web address, your Wi-Fi name and password, your contact details or a phone number.
- Your logo (optional) as a PNG or JPG — a square one works best.
- Your brand colour, if you want one. Dark colours work best.
- Where it will be printed — a business card, a table tent, a poster — so you know how big to make it.
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1Decide what the code opens
A web page is the most common, but a QR code can also join your Wi-Fi, save your contact card, start a WhatsApp chat, call you, write an email or open a map. Pick the one that saves people the most typing.
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2Keep what’s inside it short
The more you put in a code, the smaller and denser its squares get — and the harder it is to scan. Use a short web address, and for long information (a full menu, a price list) put it on a web page and make the code for that page’s link.
Tip: a link to your Owlvix link-in-bio page or digital menu keeps the code simple, and you can change the page any time.
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3Choose static or dynamic
A static code holds your link or details inside the code itself: free, and it works forever. A dynamic code sends scans through another company’s server so the address can change later — but it usually stops working when you stop paying. If you might change the address, point a static code at a page you own.
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4Pick colours with strong contrast
Phones read dark squares on a light background. Use black, navy or a dark brand colour on white or cream. Avoid light codes on dark backgrounds, low-contrast pairs like yellow on white, and placing the code over a busy photo.
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5Add your logo — carefully
A logo in the middle makes people trust the code. It works because QR codes have error correction: up to 30% of a code can be covered and it still scans. Use High error correction, keep the logo small or medium, and leave the three corner squares alone.
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6Add a label that says what happens
A short line like “Scan for our menu” or “Scan to join our Wi-Fi” tells people why to scan, and they scan far more often. Put it right under the code.
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7Print it big enough and test it
Make it at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide on a card, and about a tenth of the scanning distance on posters — 30 cm wide to scan from 3 metres. Download SVG for print so it stays sharp. Then test with an iPhone and an Android phone before printing hundreds.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too much inside the code. Long text makes tiny squares. Link to a page instead.
- Light code on a dark background. Many phone cameras can’t read inverted codes. Keep the code darker than its background.
- Too small, or no white border. Leave the quiet zone — the empty margin around the code — and print it big enough.
- Not testing before printing. Scan it with two different phones, from the real distance, before you order prints.
More free guides
- How to start selling online for free
- How to make a website for your small business
- How to make a QR code menu for your restaurant
- How to make a wedding website with RSVPs
- How to make a portfolio website that wins clients
- How to write a CV that gets interviews
- How to make a link in bio page
- How to make a coming soon page and build a waitlist
- How to build a sales funnel
- How to make an email newsletter
- How to make an invoice and get paid on time
- How to design a business card people keep
- How to take bookings online (free appointment page)
- How to make an Android app without coding
Good to know
QR codes, explained
Do QR codes expire?
Static QR codes never expire: the information is stored in the code itself. Dynamic codes from paid services can stop working when the subscription ends, because scans go through their server.
Can I change a QR code after printing it?
Not a static one. If you might change the address, make the code point at a page you control and update that page instead.
How small can a QR code be?
About 2 cm (0.8 in) wide is the practical minimum for a short link scanned up close. Codes with more information inside need to be bigger.
Will a logo stop my QR code working?
Not if it’s small and the code uses High error correction, which lets about 30% of the code be covered. Always test before printing.
Do I need an app to scan a QR code?
No. The camera on iPhone and Android phones scans QR codes on its own — point it at the code and tap the link that appears.
What’s the best file type for printing?
SVG. It’s a vector file, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size. Use PNG for documents, slides and social media.
More free tools: see all free tools.