Skip to main content

QR Codes

Minimum size QR code

What is the smallest QR code that still scans? This guide explains the true minimum size, how distance changes everything, and why most QR codes fail in real life.

Business card with a small, clean QR code and SQR logo, showing proper QR code size for close-range scanning on printed cards.

The Absolute Minimum QR Code Size

Let’s start with the baseline.

Minimum printable QR code size:
2 × 2 cm (0.8 × 0.8 inches)

That’s the smallest size that works reliably for:

  • Short URLs
  • Low data QR codes
  • Close-range scanning

Anything smaller becomes fragile.

Yes, some phones can scan smaller codes.
No, you should not rely on that.

When 2 × 2 cm is acceptable

Use this size only if:

  • The QR code is scanned from arm’s length
  • It contains minimal data
  • It’s printed clearly at high quality
  • It’s not mission-critical

Good examples:

  • Business cards
  • Product labels
  • Small packaging
  • Flyers handed directly to someone

Bad examples:

  • Posters
  • Windows
  • Menus
  • Signs
  • Anything public

This is the floor, not the goal.

The Most Important Rule: Distance × Size

Large QR code painted on a concrete wall in a busy city street, designed for long-distance scanning in public spaces.

Here’s the rule most people don’t know.

QR code size should scale with scanning distance.

A simple guideline that works in real life:

For every 1 meter of scanning distance, add 10 cm to the QR code size

Examples

  • Scanned from 0.5 m → ~5 cm QR code
  • Scanned from 1 m → ~10 cm QR code
  • Scanned from 2 m → ~20 cm QR code
  • Scanned from 5 m → ~50 cm QR code

This isn’t theory. It’s what works.

People underestimate distance all the time. If someone can scan it while standing back casually, you sized it right.

If they need to step closer, lean in, or retry, it’s too small.

How small can a QR code be?

How big does a QR code on a menu?

How big QR code for ...

QR Code Size by Use Case (Practical Table in Words)

Restaurant table with drinks, a printed menu, and a tabletop QR code card, showing an ideal QR code size for close-range menu scanning.

Let’s make this concrete.

Business cards

  • Size: 2–3 cm
  • Distance: Handheld
  • Tip: Keep data minimal
  • Size: 3–5 cm
  • Distance: Sitting distance
  • Tip: Avoid dense designs

Posters

  • Size: 8–15 cm
  • Distance: Standing
  • Tip: Bigger than you think

Shop windows

  • Size: 10–20 cm
  • Distance: Sidewalk
  • Tip: Test from outside

Event signage

  • Size: 20–50 cm
  • Distance: Crowd scanning
  • Tip: One QR per surface

Packaging

  • Size: 2–4 cm
  • Distance: Handheld
  • Tip: High contrast matters

If you’re unsure, go bigger. Oversized QR codes still scan. Undersized ones don’t.

Always Test in Real Conditions

Person scanning a small QR code on a brick wall in a city street, showing how placement, contrast, and real-world conditions affect QR code scanning.

This is non-negotiable.

Before printing in bulk:

  • Print one
  • Tape it where it will live
  • Scan it from real distance
  • Try bad light
  • Try older phones

If it scans instantly, you’re done.
If it hesitates, fix it now. Not later.

Common QR Code Size Mistakes

These show up everywhere:

  • Making the QR code tiny to “look clean”
  • Packing too much data inside
  • Ignoring scan distance
  • Forgetting the quiet zone
  • Designing for aesthetics, not physics

QR codes are tools. Not decoration.

When in doubt, prioritize function. Always.

Final Rule of Thumb

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

  • 2 × 2 cm is the minimum, not the target
  • Distance dictates size
  • Less data scans better
  • Test before printing

A QR code that scans instantly feels magical.
One that doesn’t feels broken.

The difference is almost always size.

That’s it.