A QR code that looks good and a QR code that scans reliably aren't automatically the same thing — most of the ways a design goes wrong come down to a handful of repeat offenders.
1. Keep the contrast strong
The code's modules need to read as clearly darker than the background. Pastel-on-pastel colour schemes might look elegant in a mockup, but weak contrast is one of the first things to fail under bad lighting or a low-quality camera.
2. Never invert the colours
Don't put a light foreground on a dark background. Some scanners handle inverted codes fine; plenty don't. Sticking to dark modules on a light background is the one convention worth never breaking, no matter how it looks in a design comp.
3. Leave the quiet zone alone
Every QR code needs a clear margin — the "quiet zone" — of at least four module widths on every side, with nothing else printed inside it. Cropping the code tight to save space, or letting other design elements creep into that border, is a common way an otherwise fine code stops scanning.
4. Actually test it before you print
Scan the final design on at least two different phones — an iPhone and an Android device, ideally — before committing to a print run. If it fails on either one, that's a real problem regardless of how good it looks on screen.
5. Size it for its actual scanning distance
A code meant to be scanned from arm's length needs to be noticeably bigger than one on a phone screen someone's already holding close. See the minimum size guide for concrete numbers by use case.
6. Export as SVG for anything printed
A PNG scaled up for print loses sharpness at the edges; an SVG doesn't, because it's built from shapes rather than a fixed pixel grid. See the export format guide if you're not sure which one you need.
7. Give it a reason to be scanned
A code with a visible instruction — "SCAN ME," "SCAN TO ORDER" — gets scanned more than an identical one with no context, simply because people aren't left guessing what happens next. If you're customising colours and templates already, the customisation guide covers what's actually adjustable versus bundled into a preset.