QR — Tips & Tricks

Back to overview: QR · Open the live tool: www.jpkc.com/tools/qr/

Generating a QR code is quick — making sure it scans under real conditions is the actual craft. This page collects what matters. The technical background is in the manual.

Choosing the right error correction

The Error Correction level (L/M/Q/H) is the biggest lever for robustness — and a trade-off:

Higher level = more redundancy, but a denser code. H (~30%) survives dirt, creases and a logo; L (~7%) packs more content into a smaller code but is fragile.
Rule of thumb: display and clean print → M. Print on paper, small codes, rough environments → Q or H.
With a logo the choice is made for you: the moment you set a center image, the tool forces H and locks the field. That's deliberate, because the logo covers modules.

Don't forget the margin: the quiet zone

The default Margin is 0 — fine for screen only, often too little for scanning. By spec, a QR code needs a calm, light area of at least four modules all around so the scanner can separate it from its surroundings. A missing or skimpy quiet zone is one of the most common reasons codes fail to scan in the field. So set Margin to a noticeable value, or place the code in your layout with plenty of whitespace.

Contrast decides whether it scans

QR scanners need clear light-dark contrast:

Dark dots on a light background is the safe standard. The inverse (light dots on a dark background) works on many but not all devices — risky for print.
With gradients and colored dots, make sure even the lightest point of the gradient still stands out clearly against the background.
A transparent background looks good in a layout but shifts responsibility for contrast onto the surface — check the code on the actual material.

Logo: less is more

A logo turns the code into a brand, but every covered module costs robustness:

Keep Image Size around 30–40% rather than pushing the maximum (60%).
Leave Hide dots behind image on — it clears the modules under the logo cleanly.
With a logo the tool forces H; don't rely on that blindly — test the code on several devices.

SVG vs PNG/JPEG/WebP

Pick the export format by use:

SVG — lossless vector, scales freely, first choice for print and layout. Via Copy SVG it even goes straight into HTML or a design file.
PNG / WebP — raster formats with transparency; good for the web. Size sets the pixel resolution.
JPEG — raster format without transparency. A transparent background gets filled — rarely the best choice for QR codes.

Keep the content short

The more data, the higher the required QR version and the denser (and harder to scan) the code. Practical consequences:

Shorten URLs instead of dragging along long tracking parameters.
For a vCard, fill only the fields you really need.
If a long text still won't fit comfortably, lower the error correction as a test — or split the content differently.

Use the circle shape deliberately

The QR Shape: Circle option crops the code into a circle. It looks good but trims the usable area — the actual code sits in the inscribed square. So pair the circular shape with higher error correction and test especially thoroughly.

Always test on a real device

The live preview shows what the code looks like — not whether your audience can scan it. Before any release or print:

test with several phones (iOS and Android) using each native camera,
for printed codes, scan a proof at real size,
mind the scan distance and lighting under which the code will actually be read.

Combine with other JPKCom tools

Cryptor (AES-256) — produce a short ciphertext and pass it on as a QR code; transmit the password separately.
Password & key generator — produce a strong string to distribute as QR content.
Graphics tools — get a logo to the right size and format before using it as a center image.

The full reference is in the manual, concrete walk-throughs in the examples. You can try it all in the tool.