QR Code Size Chart: How Big Should a QR Code Be?
Published: 2026-08-31 · Updated: 2026-08-31
“How big should this QR code be?” has one honest answer: it depends on how far away the phone will be. Print it too small and people give up; print it huge and you waste layout space. One simple ratio and the table below cover almost every real case.
The 10:1 rule
The working rule used across the industry is size ≈ scanning distance ÷ 10. A code read from 30 cm needs about 3 cm; from 2 m, about 20 cm. It is deliberately conservative, because it has to survive ordinary phone cameras, imperfect focus and poor lighting. Two limits sit on top of it: never go below about 2 cm whatever the maths says, and add 20–30% for outdoor, curved or glossy placements.
Size chart by placement
| Placement | Typical distance | Minimum size |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | 15–20 cm | 2 cm (3 cm for a full vCard) |
| Flyer, menu, table tent | 20–30 cm | 2–3 cm |
| Product packaging | 20–30 cm | 2–3 cm, flat area only |
| Poster on a wall | 1 m | 10 cm |
| Shop window, banner | 2 m | 20 cm |
| Signage, trade-show booth | 3–5 m | 30–50 cm |
| Screen, slide, video | varies | ≥ 250 px, on screen for 8+ seconds |
Data and error correction change the minimum
The table assumes a short URL. What actually matters is the module size — the width of one black square — which should stay at or above roughly 0.4 mm in print. A short URL of about 25 bytes fits a 25×25 grid (version 2 at level M), so a 2 cm code gives each module about 0.8 mm. A 300-byte vCard pushes the grid to 69×69, so the same 2 cm leaves each module roughly 0.3 mm — below the safe threshold. Raising error correction from M to H does the same thing: it adds redundancy, which adds modules.
So: fewer bytes, fewer modules, smaller possible code. If you are tight on space, shorten the URL before you shrink the code. The mechanics are covered in how QR codes work, and the trade-off for contact cards in the vCard guide.
Resolution: getting the physical size right on paper
Print at 300 DPI and 1 cm equals about 118 px, so a 3 cm code wants roughly 350 px of source image — download 1024 px and you have comfortable headroom. Never enlarge a small PNG to fill a poster; the module edges soften and scanning degrades. For anything above about 8 cm, use SVG, which has no resolution at all and stays crisp at any size. See PNG vs SVG and printing QR codes for the full print workflow.
Do not forget the quiet zone
The four-module blank margin is part of the code, not padding you can trim. On a 2 cm code with a 25×25 grid that margin is roughly 3 mm on each side, so budget about 2.6 cm of layout space for a 2 cm code. Cropping it is one of the most common reasons a correctly sized code still fails.
Sizing checklist
- Measure the real distance from where a person will stand to the code.
- Divide by 10; apply the 2 cm floor and add a margin for outdoor or curved surfaces.
- Shorten the encoded data, then pick the error correction level.
- Reserve layout space for the quiet zone on all four sides.
- Proof at final size, on final material, and scan from the real distance.
If a proof fails, work through the ten causes of a code that will not scan before changing the design — then regenerate at the size the rule gives you.