Published on · By the IT LABS PRO team
A QR code (“Quick Response code”) is a two-dimensional barcode that smartphones can read with their camera. It can hold a web address, Wi-Fi credentials, a contact card, some text or a WhatsApp link. It is easy to create and just as easy to get wrong: too small, too little contrast, pointing to a page that changes. Here is how to create one properly and use it for your business.
To create yours right now, use our free QR code generator: link, text, Wi-Fi or business card, as PNG or SVG, with no sign-up.
Where does the QR code come from?
The QR code was invented in 1994 in Japan by Denso Wave, a Denso group company, to track parts in the car industry. Its format is now an international standard (ISO/IEC 18004), which guarantees that a standard QR code can be read by every phone.
QR code types that are useful for a business
Web address (URL)
The most common: it opens a page of your website, a form, a menu, a product page, or your Google listing so customers can leave a review.
Wi-Fi
It contains the network name, the security type and the password: your customers connect without typing anything. Handy for a restaurant, a hotel, a practice or a reception area.
Contact card (vCard)
It saves your details (name, job title, company, phone, e-mail, address, website) straight into the phone’s contacts. Ideal on the back of a business card.
Text, e-mail, SMS
To display a message, or pre-fill an e-mail or a text message.
A QR code that holds a wa.me link opens a conversation with your business directly. See our guide to creating a WhatsApp link.
Static or dynamic?
A static QR code contains the information itself (the URL, the text). It works forever, without depending on a third-party service, but cannot be changed once printed. A dynamic QR code contains a short address managed by a service, which redirects to the final destination: you can change the destination and track scans, but the code stops working if the service shuts down or the subscription is not renewed.
Our advice: for a stable destination, use a static QR code that points to a page on your own website. If the destination needs to change, change the page’s content, not the QR code.
The rules for a QR code that works
Size
The further away it will be scanned from, the bigger it must be. On a business card, aim for at least 2 to 2.5 cm per side; on a poster, much more. Test at the real distance of use.
Contrast
A dark code on a light background reads best. Avoid pale colours, gradients and busy backgrounds, and do not invert it (light on dark) without testing it on several phones.
The quiet zone
Leave an empty margin around the code: without this “quiet zone”, phones struggle to detect it.
Error correction
QR codes include an error-correction mechanism that lets them be read even when partly damaged. There are four levels (L, M, Q, H): the higher the level, the more damage the code tolerates, but the denser it gets. Level M suits most uses; choose a higher level if you put a logo in the middle or if the material is likely to get damaged.
Short content
The more data, the denser and harder to read the code. Prefer a short URL to a page on your website over a long address with many parameters.
Always test before printing
- Scan with several phones (Android and iPhone), using the built-in camera.
- Check the destination: the right page, a correct mobile display, fast loading.
- Print a proof at real size and test at the intended distance.
Tracking scans
To know how many people scan your QR codes, add tracking parameters (UTM) to the URL: for example “source = flyer”, “campaign = tradeshow-2026”. Your website statistics will then separate these visits from the others, without relying on a dynamic QR code service. Our UTM builder creates these links for you.
Ideas for business use
- Business card with a vCard or a link to your website.
- Shop window or counter with a link to your Google listing to leave a review.
- Menu or catalogue to view on mobile.
- Packaging that links to instructions, a video or a warranty page.
- Waiting room with Wi-Fi access.
- Trade-show stand with a WhatsApp link or a contact form.
Traps to avoid
- A dynamic QR code from a free service that expires after a few months.
- A destination that is not mobile-friendly.
- A code that is too small, or printed on a curved or glossy surface.
- No hint of what the customer will find: add a short line (“Scan to see the menu”).
QR codes and your brand
You can customise a QR code (your brand colours, rounded corners, a logo in the middle) without hurting readability, provided you follow three rules: keep strong contrast between the modules and the background, keep the quiet zone around the code, and use a high enough error-correction level if a logo hides part of the code. Test each variant on several phones before approving it.
Frequently asked questions
Do QR codes expire?
A static QR code does not expire: it contains the information itself. A dynamic QR code can stop working if the service that manages the redirect shuts down.
Can I put a logo in the middle of a QR code?
Yes, thanks to error correction, provided you use a high correction level and test the code on several phones.
Do I need an app to scan a QR code?
No, most recent smartphones read QR codes directly with the camera.
In short
An effective QR code is static where possible, points to a mobile-friendly page on your website, is big enough and contrasted, and has been tested before printing. Combined with a fast, well-designed website, it is an excellent bridge between your printed material and your digital channels. Discover our website development.
Sources
- Denso Wave, “History of QR Code”: qrcode.com
- Denso Wave, “Error correction feature”: qrcode.com
- ISO/IEC 18004, QR code specification: iso.org