Printable WhatsApp QR code: size, contrast and testing
A printed QR code can't be fixed afterwards. These rules avoid the most common problems: codes that are too small, have no margin or point to a number that has changed.
What the QR code contains
The QR code QLinky generates contains exactly your wa.me link, with the number and the pre-filled message. When scanned with the camera, the phone offers to open WhatsApp with the chat ready. It doesn't go through any intermediate server and it doesn't expire.
The flip side is that it is a static QR code: if you change your number, the printed code stops working and has to be reprinted. Before printing a thousand flyers, make sure it is your final number.
Size by distance
A rule of thumb: the side of the code should be about one tenth of the distance it will be scanned from.
| Where it goes | Typical distance | Suggested minimum size |
|---|---|---|
| Business card, label | 15 to 20 cm | 2 x 2 cm |
| Flyer, table menu | 25 to 40 cm | 3 to 4 cm |
| Poster on a counter or shop window | 1 m | 10 cm |
| Sign on the wall | 2 a 3 m | 20 to 30 cm |
A long pre-filled message produces a code with more modules, that is, smaller squares. If the QR code is going to be small, use a short message.
Margin, colors and material
- Leave a white margin around it of at least four modules (four squares wide). Without that quiet zone many readers can't detect the code.
- Dark on light. Black or a very dark color on white or a very light background. Inverted codes (light on dark) fail on a number of phones.
- Don't stretch it. It must stay perfectly square. When enlarging it, do it without smoothing so the edges stay sharp.
- Watch out for glare. Glossy lamination and glass create reflections. If it goes behind glass, test it under the real lighting.
- Curved surfaces: on bottles or cups, make it smaller or place it where the curve is gentler.
Put an instruction next to it
A QR code alone doesn't say what will happen. Add a line next to it: “Scan to order on WhatsApp” or “Scan and book your appointment”. And write the number underneath, in small type, for people who prefer to save it by hand.
Checklist before printing
- Print a test copy at actual size, on the final printer or material.
- Scan it with at least one iPhone and one Android, using the regular camera.
- Test at the real distance and under the real lighting.
- Confirm it opens the right chat and that the pre-filled message is the one you wanted.
Try it now
Generate your link for free, with no sign-up and without your data leaving the browser.
WhatsApp link generator with message and QR code