Guide · 2 min read ·
How to make a QR code that scans every time
A QR code turns a web address into a square that any phone camera can read. Founders use them on slides, flyers, packaging, conference booths and business cards, because a person looking at a poster will scan far more readily than they will type a web address. Making one takes seconds, but a code that fails to scan wastes the whole effort. This guide covers the rules that make a code work.
What a QR code stores
The codes made by this tool are static: the address or text is stored directly in the pattern of squares. That has two useful results. The code never expires, and it works without any service behind it. It also means the code cannot be changed after you print it, so check the address carefully before you make a thousand copies.
Because nothing sits in the middle, a static code cannot report scans to you. If you want to measure them, tag the link before you create the code. The UTM link builder adds labels so your analytics shows visits that came from the code.
Where QR codes work well
They suit places where typing is awkward and a camera is handy: a slide at the end of a talk, a flyer, a poster, the back of a business card, a product box or a booth at an event. They work less well on a screen the person is already using, where a clickable link is simpler.
Rules for a code that scans
A handful of rules decide whether a code works.
- Dark squares on a light background. Inverted codes fail on many phones.
- Strong contrast. Pale colours on pale backgrounds look nice and scan badly.
- A blank border of at least four squares on every side, so the camera can find the edges.
- Enough size. As a rule of thumb the code should be at least about two centimetres wide when printed, and larger if people will scan from a distance.
- A flat, clear surface, since curved or glossy materials cause glare.
Choosing error correction
Codes carry extra data that lets a phone rebuild the pattern even if part of it is hidden or damaged. There are four levels, from low, which recovers about 7 percent of damage, up to high, which recovers about 30 percent. Higher levels make the code denser. For screens, medium is a good default, and for print that may get scuffed, choose high.
Colour and style
You can change the colours, and a branded colour can look good, but keep the contrast high. The tool warns you when your colours are too close or when the code is inverted. A dark navy on white is as safe as black on white.
Test before you print
Always scan the finished code with at least two phones, on the real material if you can. Print a small proof first. Check that it opens the right page and that the page works well on a phone, because that is where the visitor will be.
A code that opens a slow or broken page loses people as surely as one that does not scan.
Making and downloading yours
Type your address, pick the correction level and colours, and download a PNG for screens or an SVG for print. If you want a page worth sending people to, claim a tile on CircleSaaS and point the code at your listing, or use the launch checklist to plan where your code should go.