QR codes on packaging and print: a production checklist

Size for the scanning distance

The working rule is one centimetre of code per 25 centimetres of distance, with a minimum of about two centimetres for anything held in the hand. Poster at three metres: roughly twelve centimetres. When in doubt, print bigger.

Protect the quiet zone

The blank margin around the code must be at least four modules wide. Designers routinely crop it to fit a layout, and it is the single most common cause of a code that will not scan.

Contrast and colour

Dark modules on a light background. Inverted codes fail on many scanners. Keep contrast high; if you must use brand colours, use a dark brand colour for the modules and near-white for the background, and test the actual print.

Substrate matters

Glossy laminate creates glare that blinds cameras under shop lighting. Curved surfaces distort the grid — keep codes on the flattest available panel. Fabric and textured stock lose module edges; increase size and error correction.

Raise error correction for physical wear

Level Q or H survives scuffing, folding and partial ink coverage. It costs density, so increase the printed size to compensate.

Proof on real devices

Print at final size on the final substrate and scan it with several phones, including an old one, under the lighting the code will actually live in. A screen preview proves nothing about a matte carton under fluorescent light.

Always dynamic, always your domain

Packaging outlives campaigns. A dynamic code on a domain you own can be repointed for years; a static code to a campaign page is landfill the day the campaign ends.