A plain black-and-white QR code works, but it looks generic. A code with your logo and brand colors looks like it belongs on your packaging, menu, or business card. It also tells people who the code is from before they scan it.
Why a logo doesn't break the code
QR codes have built-in error correction. Part of every code is redundant data, so it can still be read when some of it is damaged, dirty, or covered. A logo in the middle "covers" part of the code on purpose, and error correction fills in the gap.
That redundancy has limits. If the logo covers too much, or sits on top of the three big corner squares that scanners use to find the code, it stops working. The rules below keep you on the safe side.
Step by step
- Open the QRforLess generator and enter your link or text.
- Under Logo, choose an image file. It's placed in the center automatically and sized to about a third of the code's width, which is within the safe range.
- Set the foreground color to your brand color, as long as it's dark (see the contrast rules below).
- Optional: pick a dot style. "Rounded" and "Dots" look softer, and "Square" scans most reliably.
- Download it as SVG for print or PNG for screens.
- Scan it with at least two different phones before printing in bulk.
The logo never leaves your browser. The code is built on your device, and there's no watermark on the download.
Getting the logo right
- Use a simple mark, not a full wordmark. An icon or monogram reads well at small sizes. A long company name turns into an unreadable smudge.
- Use a square image. Wide logos get shrunk to fit the center and end up tiny.
- Give it a solid background. A logo with a white or colored square behind it separates cleanly from the dots. Transparent PNGs can blend into the pattern.
- Upload a high-resolution file. At least 300×300 pixels, so it stays sharp when the code is printed large.
Colors and contrast
Scanners look for dark dots on a light background. Branded codes break most often here, not because of the logo.
- Keep the dots dark and the background light. Navy, dark green, deep red, and charcoal all work. Yellow, light gray, and pastel dots usually don't.
- Don't invert it. Light dots on a dark background fail on many phones.
- Leave the quiet zone. The blank margin around the code helps scanners find its edges. Don't crop it off or put the code right against other graphics.
Printing it
- For business cards and labels, print it at least 2 cm (about 0.8 inch) wide. For posters, scale it up with viewing distance. A rough rule is 1 cm of code for every 10 cm of scanning distance.
- Use the SVG file for print. It's a vector, so it stays sharp at any size and your printer won't complain about resolution.
- Add a short call to action next to it, like "Scan for the menu" or "Scan to book". People scan more when they know what they'll get.
Should the code be static or dynamic?
If you're printing a lot of them, make it dynamic. You can change where it points later without reprinting, and you get a scan count. Static is fine for a link that will never change. See static vs. dynamic QR codes for the full comparison.
Logos, colors, dot styles, and SVG export are all free on the QRforLess generator. Most other tools put these behind a paid plan.