QR Code with Logo for Branded Codes
A logo in the middle of a code can look good on a product box or a business card, but it also hides part of the pattern. The editor keeps the logo within a safe size, adds clear space around it and raises error correction so the code still scans.
How a logo fits inside a QR code
A QR code survives damage because it stores redundant data. Error correction lets a reader rebuild the message when some squares are covered. A logo covers squares in the middle, so the editor raises the correction level to its highest setting whenever a logo is set.
The logo size is limited between five and thirty percent of the code's width. Below five percent the logo is too small to recognize, and above thirty percent too many squares are hidden even with maximum correction. The editor also leaves a band of empty modules around the logo, so the edge of the image does not blend into the pattern.
Text placed over the code is treated the same way, because it also hides squares. The editor reports a text or a logo that leaves too little of the code to read, so the warning shows the problem before you print.
How to add a logo without losing the code
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01
Pick a simple logo with a clear shape
Logos with one color and a solid silhouette stay readable when they are small. Thin lines and fine lettering disappear at the logo size the editor allows, so a wordmark often works better as text below the code.
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02
Set the size within the safe range
Start with about 20 percent of the code's width and move the slider. The editor will not go below five or above thirty percent. Watch the readability note while you adjust; a warning means the logo covers more of the code than it can afford.
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03
Test the printed proof with a phone
Print a proof at the real size and scan it with two different phones from a normal distance. Scanning from across a counter is a better test than holding the page close to the lens.
Where a logo in the code helps
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Product packaging
A brand mark in the center makes a code recognizable on a box, a bottle or a shipping label, where the code is one of several printed elements that all carry the brand.
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Business cards
A small logo on a card links the owner's identity to the code, so the visitor who scans it sees the same mark that appeared on the card.
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Event tickets and badges
Organisers can place a venue or conference mark in the middle of an entry code, so attendees recognize the official ticket at the gate.
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Social media posts
A code with the profile's picture in the center tells followers which account the code leads to before they scan it.
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Print materials under a strict brand guide
When the brand guide asks for the logo on every asset, the logo option keeps that rule without a second design file for each print.
Tips for a logo that still scans
- Keep the logo small
- The safe range is a limit, not a target. A logo at the maximum size can work on a large poster but be too dense on a small sticker, so test the size at the smallest print you plan to use.
- Mind the contrast
- A logo in light colors on a light background disappears into the code. Choose a logo that contrasts with the code colors and sits on a background shape you can see clearly.
- Do not add text over the pattern
- Text placed over the pattern hides squares in the same way as a logo. Keep the message above or below the code, or make the code larger so the text has its own space.
- Check the result on the paper you will use
- A code can scan well on a screen and poorly on a matte printed surface. Print a sample on the same paper you will use, and check it in the light where people will scan it.
Questions about codes with a logo
Does a logo make a QR code harder to scan?
It makes the code more sensitive to damage, because the logo covers squares. The editor limits the size and raises error correction to keep the code readable, but a logo that is too large can still prevent scanning. Test the printed result before the full run.
What logo size should I use?
Between five and thirty percent of the code's width. The editor starts near the middle of that range, and a warning appears when the size makes the code harder to read.
Can I add text and a logo together?
You can, but both cover squares, so the editor reports when the combined area leaves too little of the code to read. Use one or the other on small codes, or make the code larger.
Does the logo change the destination?
No. The logo is only an image placed over the center. The code still points to the same destination, and the logo does not add any data to it.
Will the logo still scan on a small sticker?
Often it will, but small stickers leave little room for error. Test the smallest print you plan to use with two phones. If a scan fails or takes too long, reduce the logo size or enlarge the code before you order the full run.
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