My QR code will not scan

Diagnostic checklist

1. 1
   Contrast

   Foreground should be much darker than background. Dark on white is safest. If you customized colors, try the default black on white to confirm.

2. 2
   Size

   The code needs to be at least one tenth of the scan distance. A 0.8 in (2 cm) code will not scan from across the room.

3. 3
   Quiet zone

   Leave clear space around the code. Do not crop right to the edge. Four modules of quiet zone is standard.

4. 4
   Logo too big

   If you added a center logo, shrink it. It should never cover more than 20 percent of the code.

5. 5
   Broken destination

   Scan the QR into your own phone. If it opens the wrong URL or a 404, edit the destination in the code's Overview tab.

The order to check things in

1. Scan the file on your screen, not the print. If the file fails, the print was never the problem and nothing on the press will fix it.
2. Scan the print with a second phone. Cameras differ more than people expect, and a code that works on one and fails on another is a margin problem, not a broken code.
3. Measure it. More failures come from a code printed too small for the distance people stand at than from every other cause put together.
4. Only then look at the design: contrast, the logo, the frame, the surface.

Print-specific issues

• Glossy or reflective surface: light glare hides modules. Try matte.
• Wrapped around a curved surface (mug, bottle): the code distorts at angles. Keep it on a flat panel.
• Colored substrate showing through: pale prints on kraft paper often fail. Print on white or use a white backdrop under the code.