The practical guide to branded QR codes
A QR code is just a picture that stores text. When a phone camera reads it, the phone decides what to do with that text: open a link, start a WhatsApp chat, join a Wi-Fi network or save a contact. Understanding this one idea explains almost every design rule below, because anything that makes the picture harder to read makes the code harder to scan.
Static codes, and why they never expire
MyLogoQR creates static codes. Your link, number or password is written directly into the pattern, and nothing passes through our servers. That means a code you made years ago still works today as long as the destination exists. The trade-off is that the content cannot be edited later. If you print 500 flyers with a typo in the URL, the flyers must be reprinted, so always open the link yourself before exporting.
How much logo is too much?
Every QR code contains spare data called error correction. A logo hides part of the pattern, and the spare data fills the gap. Level Q can rebuild up to 25 percent of the code and level H up to 30 percent. In practice a logo covering about a fifth of the width scans reliably on most phones, while a logo above 30 percent starts to fail on older devices and in poor light.
Choosing colors that scan
Scanners look for a dark pattern on a lighter background. A navy or deep green pattern on white is as reliable as black. Problems appear when both colors have similar brightness, for example yellow on white, or when the code is inverted to light-on-dark, which some older apps cannot read. Gradients are safe if even the lightest part of the gradient stays clearly darker than the background.
Which QR type fits which job
- Website link: menus, portfolios, event pages, app store listings.
- WhatsApp: small shops and service businesses that take orders by chat. A pre-filled message saves the customer typing.
- Wi-Fi: cafes, offices, rental properties. Guests skip typing long passwords.
- Contact card: business cards, conference badges, email signatures.
- Plain text: serial numbers, inventory labels and short notes that must work offline.
Print size and placement
As a rule, keep at least one centimetre of QR width for every ten centimetres of scanning distance. A code on a shop window read from two metres away should be about five centimetres wide at minimum. Leave a blank margin of four modules (the small squares) around the code and never place it on a curved or glossy surface that reflects light.
SVG or PNG?
SVG is a vector file that stays sharp at any size, so use it for signs, packaging and anything sent to a printer. PNG is a fixed-size picture that suits websites, slides and social posts. If you are unsure, download both.
Your privacy
The code is drawn inside your browser. Wi-Fi passwords and contact details never leave your device. Remember that anyone who scans a QR code can read what is inside it, so do not encode secrets you would not print on the poster itself.