For about a decade, QR codes were that slightly embarrassing technology that tech enthusiasts loved and everyone else ignored. Then restaurants needed contactless menus during the pandemic, and suddenly QR codes were everywhere. Here's the interesting part: they stayed. People got used to scanning them, the camera apps got smarter at recognizing them, and now they're a genuinely useful tool for connecting physical things to digital content.
Creating one takes about thirty seconds. Using one well takes a bit more thought.
What you can actually put in a QR code
A QR code is just encoded text. Most of the time that text is a URL, but it doesn't have to be.
You can encode a phone number so scanning it pulls up a call prompt. An email address with a pre-filled subject line. An SMS to a specific number with message text already loaded. A set of GPS coordinates that opens in Maps. And a personal favorite: your WiFi network name and password, so guests just scan a card on your counter and connect without you having to spell out the password.
The WiFi one is underused. If you run any kind of space where people visit - an office, a shop, a café, even just your house - a printed QR code for WiFi is one of those small things that genuinely impresses people.
Static vs dynamic codes - what's the difference?
A static QR code has the destination baked in. The URL is encoded directly into the pattern, so if that URL ever changes, the code is useless and you'd need to reprint whatever it's on.
A dynamic code encodes a redirect URL. The redirect points to wherever you want, and you can change that destination without touching the code itself. Dynamic codes also track scans, so you can see how many times a code was used and on what devices.
Dynamic codes cost money (they're a service someone has to maintain) and static codes are completely free. For most personal uses and for links that won't change, static is fine. For printed marketing materials where the destination might change, or for anything where you want analytics, dynamic is worth paying for.
Getting the size right
This is where a lot of people get tripped up. Print the code too small and phones struggle to scan it, especially in dim light.
A minimum of about 2cm x 2cm works for something held close to the camera, like a business card. For anything viewed from further away - a poster, window signage, a banner - scale up proportionally. A rough rule: the code should be at least one-tenth the distance from which it'll be scanned. Scanning from a meter away? Make it at least 10cm.
Also make sure there's white space around the code. That border is called the quiet zone and the scanner needs it to find the edges of the code. Designs that run other elements right up to the edge of the QR code are a common reason codes fail to scan.
Can you put a logo in the middle?
Yes, and it's less risky than it looks. QR codes are built with error correction that allows a certain percentage of the code to be obscured or damaged without breaking the scan. Most codes can handle up to 30% damage, which is why you can overlay a logo in the center and it still works.
Keep the logo to under 20-25% of the total code area and make sure the foreground-background contrast is high. Test it on multiple phones before you print anything in quantity. What scans easily on a bright screen in good light might fail on a printed version in a dim room.