dotcarryMake a QR codeBefore you print a QR code
Choose the right file, preserve the white margin, and test a real print before ordering a batch.
A QR code that scans on a large monitor can become difficult to read on a small label. Check the final artwork, at its intended size, before committing to a print run.
Start with the destination
Open the link on your phone. Make sure the page works without a staff login and shows the content a customer expects. A product page, menu or instruction page is usually more useful than sending every scan to your homepage.
In Dotcarry, paste that URL and select Create QR. The code is saved on your device. Download the saved code. The saved code contains a Dotcarry link, so you can change its destination later without replacing the printed image.
Keep the white margin
Leave the clear border around the code. DENSO WAVE specifies a quiet zone four modules wide on every side. A module is one of the small squares that makes up the QR pattern. Dotcarry includes this margin in every export. Don’t crop it away or put text inside it.
Keep strong contrast between the code and its background. Avoid stretching the image or placing it across a fold, seam or curved edge where the pattern becomes distorted.
Pick a file and test the print
Use SVG when your design or print software accepts it: the shapes stay sharp when resized. The 1024px PNG is useful for everyday layouts. Avoid enlarging a small screenshot of the preview.
Print one sample at the final size. Scan it with more than one phone, under the lighting and at the distance customers will use. There is no single size that works for every surface and viewing distance. If it is slow to scan, make it larger and test again.
Check the destination before ordering more copies. Every created code stays active and editable after cancellation or a failed payment. The subscription pays for creating more codes and bulk generation, not for keeping an existing print working.
Source: DENSO WAVE’s QR code margin guidance.