Tool
QR code print size calculator
Measure how far the phone will be. Divide by ten. That is the shortest side, before a quiet zone. High error correction and logos need a little more.
210 mm
8.3 in on the shortest side, plus a quiet zone
Rule of thumb: width ≈ viewing distance ÷ 10. High ECC and logos need a little more. Packaging at arm’s length should stay at least 20 mm.
The 10:1 rule on real paper
A table tent scanned from 50 cm can be 20 mm — we floor the result there because smaller modules fail on kraft and foil. A pedestrian poster at 5 m wants about 50 cm. A roadside board at 20 m wants about 2 m. Export SVG for anything larger than a business card.
Where this feeds the rest of the site
Packaging, stickers, and billboards all inherit the same physics. If you already have a destination URL, generate the code first, then size the file to this number in the print shop.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10:1 a standard?
It is the outdoor-advertising rule of thumb, not an ISO clause. ISO/IEC 18004 specifies the symbol, not viewing distance. If in doubt, print larger.
Do short URLs scan farther?
They produce fewer modules, so each square is larger at the same physical size. That is why QRtracer short redirects help on billboards.
Embed this tool
Copy the snippet onto a blog or docs page. It is a text link, not an iframe.
<a href="https://qrtracer.io/tools/qr-code-size-calculator" title="QR Code Size Calculator by QRtracer">QR Code Size Calculator by QRtracer</a>
Need a code that stays live after print?
Static payloads on this page never hit our servers. A dynamic QRtracer URL is what you use when you want to edit the destination later.
Create a permanent code