qrme
QR code size calculator
Give the distance the code is scanned from and what it holds, and get the smallest width to print it at.
The calculator
Print it at least cm wide, its margin included.
The width here comes from the distance: about a tenth of it, and more the more squares the code has. This code has 29 squares across, so one square is about 0.81 mm.
The distance is short, so the lower limit decides: do not print a code under 2 cm. This code has 29 squares across, so one square is about 0.81 mm.
Where the number comes from
- The common rule: a code about one part in 10 as wide as the distance it is scanned from.
- That rule is said of a code that holds little. The more it holds, the more squares it has and the smaller each is, so we widen it by as much.
- The empty margin around the code, 4 squares on each side, is inside this number, as it is inside the file you download from qrme. Do not crop it in the artwork.
This is a rule of thumb, not a standard: the light, the paper and its gloss, and the phone's camera change the result. Print one copy and scan it from where the customer stands before the whole run.
Questions about size
How do I make the code smaller without weakening it?
Make it hold less. An editable code holds a short link however long your own link is, so it has fewer and larger squares. Editable and static codes
Is bigger always better?
For scanning from afar, yes. From very close a very large code does not fit in the camera's view: a table's code does not need the width of a whole sheet.
Which file do I print from?
SVG or PDF: they stay sharp at any size. Once the designer has placed the code in the artwork, check the image before printing.