How to make a contact QR code
Replace the example person with your own details. Only a name or a company is required; everything else is optional, and each field you leave empty makes the code a little smaller. The code uses vCard 3.0 (RFC 2426), the format iPhone and Android contacts both import, with commas and semicolons in names escaped the way the standard asks.
Write phone numbers with a plus and the country code, like +1 202 555 0147: a contact saved abroad then still dials. The website gets https:// added in front so it opens as a link from the saved contact.
Designing for a business card
A business card is small and usually scanned from 20 to 30 cm away, so plain beats fancy here:
- Keep the modules dark on a light background. A dark card with a light code (an inverted code) fails on many Android phones.
- Use rounded or square modules at full size, rather than stars or small dots, because the modules are already tiny.
- Leave the white border (quiet zone) around the code; don’t let a card edge or text touch it.
- Export as PDF or SVG for the printer, so the edges stay sharp at 300 dpi or more.
The standard US card is 3.5 × 2 in (about 89 × 51 mm) and the common European size is 85 × 55 mm, so a 2 to 2.5 cm code fits on the back beside a logo, or on the front next to the text. The table below is computed from the example card’s own code.
After printing
Scan the proof before the full run: with your phone, and with the QR code scanner, which shows each field it reads. Check that the phone number dials and the email opens a new message.
Business card size guide for this contact code
The example card above makes a version 10 code: 57 × 57 modules, or 65 across with its quiet zone. Your own details may add or remove a version, so check the line under the preview.
| Printed width (with quiet zone) | Module size | Scans from about |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 cm (0.71 in) | 0.28 mm | 18 cm |
| 2 cm (0.79 in) | 0.31 mm | 20 cm |
| 2.5 cm (0.98 in) | 0.38 mm | 25 cm |
| 3 cm (1.18 in) | 0.46 mm | 30 cm |