QR Code Size Calculator for Print
How big should a QR code be? Work out the printed size from the distance it will be scanned at, in millimetres or inches, and see the quiet zone it needs around it.
- Free, no sign-up
- Runs in your browser
Result
What this tool does
Most codes that fail in the field are not badly designed, they are badly sized — printed at the size that looked right in the layout rather than the size the scan distance demanded. The arithmetic is simple and almost never done.
At a glance
| Works out | The printed size and the pixel export a code needs for a given scan distance |
|---|---|
| Rule it applies | About one tenth of the scan distance — a 10:1 distance-to-size ratio |
| Module floor | 0.4 mm per module to be readable at all, 0.5 mm to be comfortable |
| Cost | Free, no limits on how many you make |
| Sign-up | None. No account, no email address |
How it works
Say how far away it is read from
A table tent is read from about 30 cm, a shop window from 1 to 2 metres, a billboard from 20 metres or more.
Give it the code’s density
Paste the content you intend to encode, or set the module count directly. A longer payload means more modules, and more modules need a bigger print at the same distance.
Read the three numbers that matter
The printed side of the code, the size of a single module, and the quiet zone to leave clear around it — plus the pixel dimensions to export at your chosen resolution.
Good to know
- The distance rule is one tenth: a code read from 2 metres wants roughly 20 cm. It comes from DENSO WAVE, who designed the symbology, and it assumes an ordinary phone camera in reasonable light.
- The quiet zone is four modules of empty space on every side, and it is part of the code. A design that runs artwork right up to the edge has removed something the decoder needs.
- One module below 0.4 mm is under the GS1 retail floor. Below 0.3 mm, ink gain closes the gaps on any press and the code cannot be rescued after the run.
- These are printing thresholds, not decoder results. A code can decode perfectly from a clean PDF on screen and still fail on paper under glare, at an angle, in a dim room.
Need an editable, trackable QR?
A dynamic Qrindo code keeps the same printed image but lets you re-point it any time and tracks every scan, geo, device, and live.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum size for a QR code?
There is no single answer, because it depends on how many modules the code has. The useful floor is per module, not per code: keep one module at 0.5 mm or above and the code is comfortable, whatever its version.
Why does a longer link need a bigger code?
Because more data means more modules packed into the same square, so each module is physically smaller at any given printed size. Shortening the URL is often cheaper than enlarging the artwork.
Does the calculator account for the frame around the code?
It sizes the code and its quiet zone. A decorative frame or a "scan me" banner sits outside that, so add its depth to the finished piece — and never let it eat into the quiet zone to save space.
How big should a QR code be for a scan at 2 metres?
About 20 cm across, on the 10:1 rule this calculator applies. That is the printed symbol itself, before the quiet zone — leave a clear margin of at least four modules around it on top of that.
Why does a longer link need a bigger code?
More characters push the symbol to a higher version, which packs more modules into the same square. Each module gets smaller, and below about 0.4 mm the printer and the camera stop resolving them. Shorten the link and the code gets easier at every size.
Does the calculator account for the quiet zone?
It reports the symbol size and the module size, and the quiet zone is four modules on every side of that. Add it to your layout box — a code trimmed flush to its edge is one of the most common print failures.
Still not sure about something? Read the full FAQ →
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