Many companies (or also private persons) use QR-Codes to add them to their printing materials (e.g. flyers, posters or business cards). This way they can make information more easily accessible to their customers. But before printing QR-Codes, there are some points that you absolutely have to pay attention to in order to achieve a good result. Otherwise, you may risk that the QR-Code is not readable and all printed materials will be useless. 

The first important aspect is the contrast.

• There must be enough colour contrast between the background and the actual QR-Code. It is recommended to use a relatively light and a rather dark colour. If you have too little colour difference, the scanner will not be able to identify the image as a QR-Code.

Second aspect: the size.

• Depending on the distance from which the user is supposed to scan the QR-Code with a smartphone or similar device, you also have to adjust the actual size. It can be smaller on a business card than on a large billboard on the roadside. However, the code must not be too small, otherwise scanners will not be able to decode it. A size of at least 2x2cm is recommended, so you should not print it any smaller.

Lastly: the quality.

• You also have to pay attention to the quality of the print file and the actual print result. If the print is too blurry or out of focus, the camera will not be able to identify the individual pixels correctly. Then, the QR-Code will be unreadable. If you have only received a poor quality file from your QR-Code provider, contact them and ask for a higher quality file. If they cannot provide you with one, there is another alternative. With several apps and websites, you can improve the image quality by yourself very easily and in a short time.

As a general tip, when printing QR-Codes on any material, a test print should be made first. Afterwards, you can start the large-scale production. This allows you to calmly test whether the QR-Code works and is readable. If necessary, the error can then be corrected directly without having wasted huge amounts of advertising budget. You have taken all these points into account and the QR-Code still cannot be scanned? Contact the support of the QR-Code-Generator you are using and ask for advice.

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