QR codes for flyers, sized right the first time
A flyer gets a few seconds of attention at most. Here's how big to print the code, where to put it, and how to avoid the mistakes that make an otherwise good-looking code fail to scan.
Flyers are cheap to print and easy to ignore. A QR code doesn't fix the second problem on its own — but a well-sized, well-placed one is the difference between a flyer that drives real scans and one that just looks like it should.
Most flyer QR codes that fail to scan don't fail because of anything wrong with the code's data — they fail because the code was printed too small for how far away it's actually read from, or because a low-contrast colour choice made it unreadable under normal lighting. Both are avoidable with a few numbers and a bit of care before you send the file to print.
The numbers
How big should the code be?
For a standard A5 flyer, read at roughly arm's length, 3 × 3 cm is the practical minimum. That maps to the general rule print professionals use for any format: the code should be at least 1/10th of the maximum distance it needs to be scanned from. A code meant to be read from 40 cm away needs to be at least 4 cm wide.
Quick reference
Running a bulk print with less-than-ideal lighting expected (a dim bar, an outdoor market stall)? Add roughly 50% to whatever size you land on as a safety margin. See the full print resolution guide for the complete size table across other formats and DPI settings.
Beyond size
What actually gets a flyer code scanned
Give it a reason to scan
"Scan for menu", "Scan for 20% off", "Scan to RSVP" — a bare code with no CTA text gets ignored far more often than one that tells the reader what happens next.
Keep it in a corner, not buried in text
Bottom corner or a dedicated box works best. A code sitting inside a paragraph of body copy is easy to miss on a first glance, which is often the only glance a flyer gets.
Use your brand colours, but keep contrast high
A coloured code can match your flyer's palette, but the foreground still needs to read clearly darker than the background — a pale colour on white is the single most common reason a "nicely designed" code fails to scan.
Export as SVG, not a screenshot
A screenshotted or low-res PNG code blurs at print size. SVG stays crisp no matter how the flyer is scaled or resized by the printer.
Questions
Common questions about flyer QR codes
3 × 3 cm is the practical minimum for a standard A5 flyer read at arm's length (roughly 15–40 cm away). Smaller than that, and it becomes unreliable on lower-end phone cameras or in dim lighting.
Get the sizing right before you print
Export at print resolution as SVG, PNG, or PDF — no watermark, no account required to try it.