QR code with a logo: how big can the logo be?

A logo in the middle of a QR code covers some of its squares. The code still scans because every QR code carries spare data, called error correction, that lets a phone rebuild the missing part. The logo has to fit inside that spare capacity, with some left over for glare, smudges and a slightly blurry print.

Error correction levels

There are four levels. Each one recovers roughly this much of the data:

• L: about 7%
• M: about 15%
• Q: about 25%
• H: about 30%

Higher levels need more squares to hold the same content, so the pattern gets denser. That’s the price of making room for a logo, and another reason to keep links short.

Keep the logo under a quarter of the width

A logo about a quarter as wide as the code is the safe limit, even at level H. It covers much less than 30% of the area, but that gap is deliberate. Data is stored in groups of eight squares, so a logo that clips the edge of a group spoils the whole group. The rest of the margin is for the real world: a curved bottle, a crease, a reflection from a light.

For a wide logo, measure the longest side. A square or round mark usually works better than a long wordmark, because it can be bigger before it hits the limit.

Keep the corner squares clear

The three large squares in the corners tell the phone where the code is and which way up it sits. Never put the logo, text or decoration over them, and don’t let the logo touch them. Leave the plain border around the code clear too, and keep the squares dark on a light background.

How QR Hippo handles it

When you add a logo, our tool switches error correction to H automatically (or Q if the content is too long for H). It then checks that the finished code really scans, and tells you if it doesn’t, before you download anything.

Still print one copy at the real size and scan it with two or three different phones. See how big to print it or make your code.