Where to put a QR code on your packaging

Six rules that cover almost every mistake we see on printed product packaging and inserts. Print this page and keep it beside the artwork.

1. 1

   Print it at least 2 cm across

   2 cm (about 0.8 in) is the practical floor for a phone camera at arm's length. On a shipping box or anything scanned from further away, scale up: roughly 1 cm of code for every 25 cm of scanning distance.

2. 2

   Leave a quiet zone

   Keep a clear margin around the code equal to four of its own squares. Text, borders and artwork crowding the edge is the single most common cause of a code that won't scan.

3. 3

   Dark code on a light background

   Never invert it, never place it on a photo, and never print it on a dark or metallic surface. Scanners look for contrast, and glossy stock under a store light can wash the code out.

4. 4

   Give it a reason to be scanned

   One short line beside the code: "Scan for care instructions", "Scan to leave a review", "Scan to track your order". A bare square gets ignored.

5. 5

   Put it where a hand already goes

   Insert cards, the inside flap of the box, the back of the hang tag, the top of the invoice. Avoid seams, folds, curved surfaces and anywhere tape will land.

6. 6

   Test before the print run, not after

   Print one at final size on the real stock, scan it with an old phone in poor light, and only then send the file to the printer.