What You Can Encode in a QR Code
QR codes can encode any text as bytes, which means they work for: ā¢ URLs (most common): https://yourwebsite.com ā the phone's camera app opens the link directly ā¢ Plain text: instructions, notes, or a short message the scanner will read ā¢ Email: mailto:email@example.com ā opens the email app with the address pre-filled ā¢ Phone: tel:+919876543210 ā dials the number when scanned ā¢ SMS: smsto:+91XXXXXXXXXX:Your message ā opens SMS with number and text pre-filled ā¢ WiFi: WIFI:S:NetworkName;T:WPA;P:Password;; ā connects to a WiFi network when scanned (works on Android and recent iOS) ā¢ vCard: structured contact information For business use, a URL is almost always the right choice because it is the most universally supported and gives you control over the destination ā you can change the linked page content without reprinting the QR code.
Color Customization and Contrast Rules
QR codes are readable as long as there is sufficient contrast between the dark modules (foreground) and the light modules (background). The standard is black on white, but you can use any dark color on a light background. The critical rules are: 1. Foreground must be significantly darker than background ā a contrast ratio of at least 4:1 is recommended 2. Never invert: light foreground on dark background fails on many scanning apps 3. The three finder pattern squares (corner squares) must remain clearly visible ā they are how the scanner finds the code's orientation 4. Test every custom-color QR code by scanning it yourself on two different devices before printing For branded QR codes, dark brand color on white usually works well. Light brand color on white will likely fail. If your brand's primary color is light, use it as the background with a dark neutral foreground.
PNG vs SVG ā Which to Download for Your Use Case
The format you download determines how the QR code looks at different sizes. PNG is a raster format ā pixels are fixed. Download PNG when: ā¢ Adding to a website, social media post, email, or presentation ā¢ The QR code will be displayed at roughly the same size as generated ā¢ The recipient platform only accepts raster images SVG is a vector format ā scales to any size perfectly. Download SVG when: ā¢ Printing business cards, flyers, posters, or product labels ā¢ Sending to a designer who will embed it in a layout ā¢ You need the QR code at a very large size (banners, signage) For print, SVG at 1cm Ć 1cm minimum size is the practical lower limit for reliable scanning ā smaller than that and many phone cameras struggle to focus on the individual modules.