What is a QR code?
A QR code is a square picture that stores information, such as a web page or your home Wi-Fi password. DENSO WAVE created it to track car parts. In 2000, it became an international standard. The current ISO/IEC 18004:2024 edition explains how a code is drawn, read, and made more tolerant of small damage.
How does a QR code work on different phones?
Every reader follows the same rule. The smallest QR code has 21 small squares on each side. The largest has 177. The amount of text depends on the size and the repair level you choose, so no single capacity fits every case. Before printing many signs, test a real print with several phones at the real distance. For example, scan a restaurant menu from half a meter if that is how guests will use it.
What does the QR standard not promise?
It cannot work miracles. If your logo covers a corner, some phones may stop reading the code. The standard also says nothing about whether the linked page is safe or will stay online. Leave a clear white border, called the quiet zone, of four small squares around the code, use strong contrast, and print it at a readable size. For more detail, read QR code anatomy: small squares, size, and repair. To choose a code type, compare static vs dynamic QR: when can you change the link?.
What questions do people ask?
What is a QR code in simple words?
It is a square picture that stores a web address or text so a phone can open it with its camera.
What rule do QR codes follow?
They follow the international ISO/IEC 18004 rule, updated in 2024, which explains how they are drawn and read.
Will a QR code with my logo always work?
No. Covering part of the picture can stop a phone from reading it. Test the printed code on several phones.