How to download and print your QR code

Once your code looks right, you can download it as an image for your own designs, or print it straight from QR Crab on a ready-made table tent, sign, sticker sheet or flyer. This guide covers both, plus how big to print and how to test before you print a whole batch.

Download your QR code

1. Open the code. In the dashboard, click the code in Your QR codes and go to the Edit & design tab. (Right after creating a code in the classic editor, you're already there.)
2. Check the scan check. Under the preview, the chip should say Scans well. If it doesn't, see Scan check: will my QR code scan?.
3. Pick a format. In the first menu under the preview, choose PNG, SVG (print), JPEG or WebP. Formats your plan doesn't include are shown with the plan's name and can't be picked.
4. Pick a size. Choose 512, 1024, 2048 or 4096 px. The size is the width of the image.
5. Click Download. The file is saved with the code's name. It includes the frame, the logo and the margin exactly as they look in the preview.

In the guided editor (Try the new editor (beta)), new codes show the download buttons on the Your QR code is ready! screen after you create them. Existing codes have them in the preview card. Static codes that hold their content (Wi-Fi, text, vCard…) can be downloaded before you create them. Trackable codes and static link codes can't, because their short link doesn't exist yet.

If the scan check says Won't scan, clicking Download asks first: “Our scan check couldn't read this code, so phones probably can't either. Download it anyway?” It's worth fixing the style before you go on.

Formats and sizes by plan

• SVG is a vector file: the code stays perfectly sharp at any size. It's the best choice for print shops, large signs and design apps. A logo inside the code is stored as an image, so very large prints of the logo itself can look soft.
• PNG is a sharp image that works everywhere and keeps a transparent background. At 300 dpi, 512 px is about 4.3 cm (1.7 in), 1,024 px about 8.7 cm (3.4 in), 2,048 px about 17 cm (6.8 in) and 4,096 px about 35 cm (13.7 in) wide.
• JPEG has no transparency (transparent backgrounds come out white). WebP is a small file for websites.

Print templates: table tents, signs, stickers and flyers

Every saved code has a Print tab next to Edit & design, on every plan, for static and trackable codes. In the editor there's also a Print button next to Download. Pick a template, then adjust the paper, the text and the look:

• Table tent (Letter or A4): fold it in half along the dashed line and stand it on a table. Both sides show the code, and the back is printed upside down so it reads the right way once folded.
• Window / counter sign (Letter, A4 or Half letter): one big sign for a window, door or counter.
• Stickers: Avery 22807 (2 in round, 12 per sheet), Avery 22806 (2 in square, 12 per sheet) or Avery 5160 (1 × 2⅝ in labels, 30 per sheet). Print at 100% (“Actual size”), not “Fit to page”, and test on plain paper first. Show label outlines (for the plain-paper test) helps you check the alignment against a label sheet held up to the light.
• Flyer / postcard: two 4 × 6 in cards per Letter or A4 sheet, with crop marks for cutting.

The Headline and Short line start with suggested text for the code's type (stickers have no short line), and you can add your Business name. Reset to suggested text brings the suggestions back. Under Look you choose an accent color, Light (saves ink) or Bold colour, whether to Use the code's frame, and a logo: your code's logo or an image you upload just for printing (signs, tents and flyers only). Your choices are remembered for that code in this browser.

Print / Save as PDF opens your browser's print dialog: pick your printer, or “Save as PDF” as the destination, and keep the scale at 100%. Download PNG saves the sign, one flyer card or one sticker as a 300 dpi image. On the Free plan, signs, tents and flyers carry a small “Made with QR Crab · qrcrab.com” line. Stickers don't, and Premium and Pro remove it.

How big should a printed QR code be?

• Minimum: about 2 cm (0.8 in) wide for a code scanned up close, like a business card or a sticker on a product. Trackable codes and static link codes hold a short link, which keeps the pattern simple, so they work well small.
• Distance: a common rule of thumb is a width of about one-tenth of the scanning distance. For a poster read from 2 m (6.5 ft), aim for around 20 cm (8 in).
• Static codes with a lot of content (a long text, a full contact card) have a denser pattern. Print them larger, or make them trackable so the code only holds a short link.
• Keep the quiet zone: leave the blank margin around the code. Don't crop it, and don't let other artwork touch it.
• Contrast and surface: dark code on a light background, printed on matte paper if you can. Avoid folds, curves, and placing it where light reflects off glossy laminate.

Test before you print many

The scan check in the editor is a good first sign, but nothing beats a real test. Print one copy at the final size, put it where it will go, and scan it with a couple of different phones (an iPhone and an Android if you can) from the distance people will actually stand. Check it opens the right thing. Test scans of trackable codes count in your stats like any other scan. If something goes wrong, see QR code not scanning? How to fix it.

Common questions

Which format should I send to a print shop?

SVG if your plan has it (Premium and Pro): the code stays sharp at any size. Otherwise send a PNG at the largest size your plan offers. A PNG of 1,024 px is about 8.7 cm (3.4 in) wide at 300 dpi, which is plenty for flyers, cards and table tents.

Can I print QR codes on the Free plan?

Yes. Free includes PNG downloads up to 1,024 px and every print template. The only difference on paper is a small “Made with QR Crab · qrcrab.com” line on signs, table tents and flyers.

Why is my downloaded image taller than it is wide?

Because it has a frame. The size you pick is the width, and the frame adds its text above or below the code.

Can I get a transparent background?

Yes. Tick Transparent background (PNG / SVG / WebP) under Background & shape. JPEG has no transparency, so a JPEG download gets a white background instead. Put a transparent code on a plain, light surface.

What if I need to change the code after printing?

Trackable codes can be changed any time and the printed copies follow, so you never need to reprint for a new link or menu. Static codes can't be pointed somewhere else. That's a good reason to make anything you print in quantity trackable. See Static vs trackable QR codes: what's the difference?.