QR Code Colors and Design: Best Practices That Still Scan

You can customize colors, shapes, and logos. Just stay within the rules below and the code will still scan.

Do This

Keep contrast above 4:1 between modules and background. Dark on light, always.
Use your darkest brand color for modules, lightest (or white) for background.
Keep logos under 20% of the code area. Center them.
Add white padding (2 to 3 mm) around the logo so it separates cleanly from the modules.
Leave the quiet zone intact: at least 4 modules of white space on all sides.
Export at 300+ DPI for print, or use SVG (scales to any size).
Use rounded squares or circles for module shapes. Both scan fine.
Test on 2+ phones including one older Android before printing.

Yellow or pastel modules on white. Contrast too low, most phones fail.
Gradients on modules. The light end drops below scanning threshold. If you must, go dark-to-slightly-less-dark only.
Inverted codes (light on dark). Some older phones still struggle. Test thoroughly.
Logo over corner squares. The three finder patterns and alignment marker must stay untouched.
Crop the white border. Designers love tight layouts, but cutting the quiet zone breaks scanning.
Export as JPEG. Compression adds artifacts around sharp edges. Use PNG or SVG.
Test only on your phone. Your new iPhone scans almost anything. A 3-year-old Android might not.