Printing guide: size, contrast and quiet zone

A code that scans well on your screen can still fail on paper. These five checks catch nearly every problem before you pay for a print run.

1. Size

For something people hold in their hand, like a business card or a flyer, print the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide. Bigger is easier.

For anything people scan from a distance, make the code about one tenth as wide as the distance. A poster read from 2 meters away needs a code about 20 cm wide. A window sign read from 3 meters needs about 30 cm.

2. Contrast

Phones read dark dots on a light background best. Black or a deep color on white or cream is ideal. Our designer warns you when the contrast drops below 3:1, and also when the dots are lighter than the background. Take that warning seriously: many phones cannot read light-on-dark codes.

3. Quiet zone

The light border around the code is part of the code. It should be at least 4 dots wide on every side. Our files include it. Do not crop it off, and do not let text, photos or a busy background touch the code.

4. Logos

Keep a logo to about 30% of the code's width or less. When you add one, we switch the code to the highest error correction automatically, so it can lose the dots behind the logo and still scan.

5. Material

• Matte paper and matte lamination scan better than glossy, which reflects light into the camera.
• Avoid folds, creases and seams across the code.
• Avoid tightly curved surfaces like thin bottles and cups. If you must, make the code smaller than the curve so it stays nearly flat.
• For outdoor signs, use weatherproof material so the code does not fade.

Test before you print

1. 1Print one copy at the real size on the real paper, or ask the printer for a proof.
2. 2Scan it with two phones: one iPhone and one Android.
3. 3Scan from the real distance and in the real light, for example a dim restaurant table or a sunny window.
4. 4Check it opens the right content. Then print the rest.