QR Codes: How to Create, Use and Test Them Properly
QR codes remain useful in the physical world. Learn how to prepare a code people can actually use and how to test it before publishing.
A bridge between physical and digital
A QR code turns information such as a URL into a pattern that a phone camera can read. It works well on posters, menus, packaging, business cards and presentations.
Size and distance matter
A code that works on a monitor may fail when printed small. Keep enough area for the expected distance and maintain sufficient contrast between code and background.
Test before publishing
Open the QR code on more than one phone and, ideally, test a printed copy. Confirm the destination also works over a mobile network.
Use a URL you can update
For long-lived printed materials, a controlled short address can point to a destination that may change later. This avoids reprinting everything when the campaign changes.
Do not trade readability for design
Visual customization can be useful, but the code must remain readable. Design should support the scan, not compete with it.