Question 1

What is the 10:1 rule for QR code sizing?

Accepted Answer

A QR code should be printed at least 1/10th the size of its expected scanning distance. A code meant to be scanned from 1 metre away needs to be at least 10cm wide. Scan further back than that, and most phone cameras start to struggle to resolve the individual modules.

Question 2

Why does the calculator show a bigger 'optimal' size than the 'minimum'?

Accepted Answer

The minimum size is the smallest a code can be and still scan reliably in good lighting from directly in front. The optimal size adds margin for angle, lower light, cheaper print quality, or a phone camera that isn't perfectly focused: the kind of real-world conditions a printed code actually gets scanned in.

Question 3

Does higher DPI mean a smaller QR code?

Accepted Answer

No: DPI only affects the file's pixel dimensions at a given physical size, not the physical size itself. A 5cm code at 150 DPI and the same 5cm code at 300 DPI scan identically; the 300 DPI version just has more pixel detail, which matters for print sharpness, not scannability.

Question 4

Does this apply to all QR code types?

Accepted Answer

The 10:1 ratio applies to any QR code regardless of what it encodes. Codes with more data (a WiFi network with a long password, for example) have a denser pattern with smaller individual modules, so they benefit from sizing toward the optimal figure rather than the bare minimum.

Question 5

What's the smallest a QR code can ever be printed?

Accepted Answer

Around 2cm × 2cm is a practical floor for most printers and phone cameras, even at very close scanning distances: below that, print resolution and camera autofocus both start to struggle regardless of the distance ratio.

Question 6

Does the color of the QR code affect the minimum size?

Accepted Answer

Contrast matters more than the specific colors. A code needs roughly 4:1 contrast between foreground and background to be read reliably: low-contrast combinations (light grey on white, for example) may need to be printed larger than this calculator suggests to compensate.

Question 7

I added a logo to my QR code, does that change the sizing?

Accepted Answer

A centered logo covers part of the pattern, so the code needs higher error correction (which ScanOrbit sets automatically) and slightly more room to remain scannable. Size toward the optimal figure, not the minimum, for any code with a logo.

Question 8

What DPI should I actually use?

Accepted Answer

300 DPI for anything printed and handled up close: business cards, table tents, packaging. 150 DPI is fine for large posters and banners viewed from a distance, where individual pixels are never that close to the eye. 72 DPI only applies to on-screen/digital display, not print.

Medium	Scan Distance	Minimum Size	Optimal Size
Business Card	25cm	2.5 × 2.5 cm	3.1 × 3.1 cm
Restaurant Table Tent	45cm	4.5 × 4.5 cm	5.6 × 5.6 cm
Product Packaging Box	35cm	3.5 × 3.5 cm	4.4 × 4.4 cm
A4 / A5 Wall Poster	1.2m	12 × 12 cm	15 × 15 cm
Window Decal / Door	2.0m	20 × 20 cm	25 × 25 cm
Trade Show Rollup Banner	3.0m	30 × 30 cm	37.5 × 37.5 cm
Highway Billboard	15.0m	150 × 150 cm	187.5 × 187.5 cm

QR Code Print Size & Distance Calculator

Where the 10:1 ratio actually comes from

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