QR codes are everywhere: menus, posters, packaging, business cards. Yet many people print one and later discover it points to the wrong page or will not scan. Knowing how they work helps you get it right the first time.
What a QR code actually stores
A QR code is just a pattern of squares that encodes text, most often a web address. The phone camera decodes the text and offers to open it. Nothing is "live" inside the picture, so the information is fixed once the code is drawn. The longer the text, the more squares are needed, and the denser and harder to scan the code becomes.
Static codes
A static code contains the final destination directly. It is simple and never depends on a third party, but you cannot change it: if the destination page moves, every printed copy is wrong. You also cannot see how many people scanned it.
Dynamic codes
A dynamic code encodes a short link instead of the final page. The short link redirects to the destination. Two benefits follow. First, short text means fewer squares, so the code is cleaner and scans faster. Second, the redirect passes through the shortener, so scans can be counted, and the destination can be managed through the link rather than reprinting. The trade-off is that the short link must stay active; if it is deleted, the code stops working.
Which should you choose?
- Static for permanent, low-stakes uses such as sharing your Wi-Fi details or a fixed personal page.
- Dynamic (via a short link) for anything printed in quantity, for marketing, or where you want measurement.
Design rules for reliable scanning
- Keep contrast high. Dark code on a light background is the safest choice. Inverted codes fail on some scanners.
- Leave a quiet zone. A blank margin of about four modules around the code is part of the standard.
- Size it for distance. A common rule of thumb is a code roughly one tenth of the scanning distance, so a poster read from two metres needs a code around 20 cm wide.
- Do not over-decorate. Logos in the centre are possible because of built-in error correction, but each addition reduces the safety margin.
- Test before printing. Scan with at least one Android and one iPhone, in the real lighting.
Add a clear call to action
People scan more when they know what they will get. Put a short line such as "Scan to see the menu" next to the code, and always include the short URL in text for people who cannot scan.
Protecting people who scan
QR codes hide the destination just like short links do. If you place codes in public, make sure the destination is on your own domain or a trusted short link, and be careful of stickers placed over official codes. Scanners should preview the address before opening it; see how to spot a malicious short link.
Make one now
Create the short link with the short URL tool, then generate the code with the QR Code Generator. More detail is on the QR code feature page.
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