7 QR Code Mistakes That Stop a Scan

Most failed scans are design problems, not a broken generator. Fix the contrast, size, and link before you print a stack.

1. Weak contrast

Cameras need a dark mark on a light ground. Pastel on pastel, or a code placed on a busy photo, drops the scan rate. If you recolor a code, follow safe color rules and keep the background plain.

2. A logo that covers the code

A center logo is fine when it stays small. Once it covers the finder patterns or most of the middle, phones give up. qrfyy keeps error correction at level M and does not raise it for a logo. Scan the preview before you download.

3. Printed too small

A code that looks fine on a laptop can be a speck on a poster. Table tents need about 2 cm. Posters and windows need more, because people stand farther away. Use the print size guide for the distance you expect.

4. No quiet zone

The blank margin around the square is part of the code. A border, a photo, or cropped edges that touch the modules make the scanner miss the corners. Leave that margin when you place the file in a design.

5. Gloss and glare

Shiny lamination and glass throw light back at the camera. Use a matte finish for cards and signs. On a window, move the code off the brightest patch and print it larger.

6. A dead link

The square can be perfect and still fail if the page is gone. Open the URL on a phone before you encode it. Static codes store that exact link, so a changed menu URL means a new code. qrfyy does not rewrite old printed codes for you.

7. Too many codes in one spot

Three codes on one tent card make people guess. Use one code and one line of instruction: menu, WiFi, or review. The design checklist covers contrast, margin, and a test scan with the qrfyy scanner.