A QR code usually has a static URL encoded to which the user is redirected after he has scanned the QR code. In case the target URL is no longer up-to-date or does not exist anymore, you may use a dynamic QR Code instead. 

With the free QR Code Manager from qrd.by it is easy to change the destination URL. The URL in the QR code is always the same, but first redirects to our company website and after editing the target URL to this blog.

Create a Dynamic QR Code

With a dynamic QR code, you can change the target URL subsequently. Even if the QR code has already been printed on posters, flyers or in magazines, you can redirect the user after the scan to any landing page, anytime, without having to print the QR code again.

For instance, if you are using a QR Code to redirect the user to a temporary available voucher, you can change the target URL after the promotion has ended.

If you create a dynamic QR Code on our platform he will never expire!

Peter

Peter is the founder of the QR Code Platform qrd.by. He is a QR Code enthusiast and consults agencies with his expertise to launch successfull QR Code campaigns. Get in touch with him on:

Recommendation: A QR Code that encodes up to 72 characters (which is the length of a typical URL) should be printed in a size of 20×20 mm (0.79x0.79″) when scanned from a distance of 20cm (7.9″)

Before applying this recommendation please consider the following tips. If you you are printing a designer QR Code please also read Printing QR Codes with Colors.

Consider the scanning distance

Rule of the thumb: the ratio between scanning distance and the QR Code size is 10:1. So if you want to scan a QR Code from 10 meters (390″), the size of the QR Code should be 1 square meter (39″). Or if you print a QR Code on a post card, the user will scan the QR Code from a distance close to 15cm (5.9″). Applying the rule the QR Code may have a minimum size of 15mm (0.59″).

Quiet Zone around the QR Code

Have at least a Quiet Zone of 4 Units arround your QR Codes.

If you print a QR Code always leave a quite zone (margin) around the QR Code. We recommend to have 4 units of white space arround your QR Code to ensure it can be read by any QR Code reader.

Use shorted URLs

How much information do you want to store in the QR Code? The less the better. Use shortened URLs instead of a long URL. The shorter the URL the less units a QR Code will contain and there for can be plotted smaller.

A shortened URL with up to 17 characters will produce a QR Code with 21×21 units. Encoding a longer URL with up to 72 chars will result in a QR Code with 35×35 units.

http://qrd.by/what-a-long-url-you-may-consider-shortening-it

A shorted URL: http://qrd.by/t

Use low Error Correction Level

When creating a QR Code you can set an Error Correction Level. The higher the level is set, the more of a QR Code may be destroyed while the QR Code will be still readable. However, a higher level also increases the size of a QR Code. We recommend setting the error level L for QR Codes without an embedded logo. This will give you the smallest possible size of a QR Code. The following figure shows you a QR Code with the same encoded URL in two different error correction levels:

Level L 7%	Level H 30 %

Use scale able vectorized QR Codes

It is important create QR Codes in Vector format. If you are plotting QR Codes from a .png or .jpg source, they may get blurred and cannot be read anymore.

Create optimized QR Code

Download the QR Code Contest .pdf document and print it out. It contains various QR Codes in different sizes. In theory you will be able to scan QR Codes with a size of 5mm (0.19″), depending on your printer and your scanning device. If you are able to scan QR Codes in an even smaller size, please let us know!!!

Devices that scan QR Codes < 4mm (0.16”)

Huawei Ascend XT H1611 (3mm QR Code was printed on a Canon MF4320 laser printer with 600dpi)

Devices that scan QR Codes < 5mm (0.19”)

Apple iPhone 5
Google Nexus 5
HTC One
Huawei Ascend Mate 7
LG D802, D959
MicroMax Q450
Nokia Lumia 635
OnePlus One
Samsung GALAXY ACE 3, GALAXY Note 4 Edge, GALAXY S4, GT-I9500, SGH-I317
Sony Xperia Z1
Xiaomi MI 2SC

Peter

Peter is the founder of the QR Code Platform qrd.by. He is a QR Code enthusiast and consults agencies with his expertise to launch successfull QR Code campaigns. Get in touch with him on:

QR Code Error Correction does not help here anymore. Too much of the code is damaged.

When generating a QR Code, you can choose between different levels of error correction. Error correction helps, that a QR Code stays readable, even if some pixels are missing. Sometimes this is done on purpose when placing a logo in the QR Code, but sometimes the code just gets damaged, like CDs get scratched, but they will be still readable by CD players. There are 4 different levels of QR Code error correction:

• Level L – up to 7% damage
• Level M – up to 15% damage
• Level Q – up to 25% damage
• Level H – up to 30% damage (recommend for QR Codes with an embedded logo)

The higher the error correction level, the more pixels of the QR Code may be damaged, but the bigger the QR Code gets. The following example shows the QR Code with the encoded URL “https://qrd.by/jungidee” for all four types of error correction levels:

Level L 7%	Level M 15%
Level Q 25%	Level H 30%

As you can see the QR Code with the same URL encoded gets bigger the higher the error correction level is. The QR Code with level L has 25×25 pixel whereas the code with level H is already 29×29 pixel wide.

Designer QR Codes and Error Correction

You can use error correction to create Designer QR Codes. In a designer QR Code you can embed your own logo, brand the code with your own colors or use your own shapes. The logo should be centered in the QR Code and may take up to 30% of the surface when selecting level H for error correction. If you design a QR Code, always make sure that the QR Code stays readable by scanning the code with different devices and QR Code Reader Apps.

Designer QR Code using error correction for placing a logo inside the code

Recommended Error Correction Level

We recommend to always use the highest error correction level H for designer QR Codes, so you can maximize the size of your logo in the QR Code. If you just have a black & white QR Code the error correction level L is sufficient.

You can directly jump to our EPS QR Code Generator to create QR Codes with different levels of error correction right away. The editor shows a preview of the QR Code in the selected level.

Peter

Peter is the founder of the QR Code Platform qrd.by. He is a QR Code enthusiast and consults agencies with his expertise to launch successfull QR Code campaigns. Get in touch with him on: