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Make your QR Codes stand out and see those scans soar

Make your QR Codes stand out and see those scans soar

In this article

Catch people’s eyes with a beautified QR code. Make it pop or have it sit subtly into the design of your ad. It’s completely up to you.
Qr custom

Beautified QR code

Making your QR code more attractive will garner it more attention and compel more visitors to scan it. QR codes are no longer just neat marketing tools. They’ve transcended their original purpose and are now an art form.

Let’s dig into how to customize your QR code and make it your own.

What can I do to customize it?

To make your code as unique as your organization, you can:

  • Adjust the colors.
  • Edit the shortened URL.
  • Insert an image or your logo
  • Soften the hard edges.
  • Change the shape. 
  • Apply a gradient.


You can take a boxy black and white QR code and make it into a pretty piece of marketing material in just a few minutes.

Cool colors

Use your brand colors or the ones that appear in your ad to give your code some pizazz. Use multiple colors or just go with a single shade on white if you like that look. Give the background one color and the foreground a different one to add some effects to your code.

Tip

While you can use any colors you like, the QR code should somehow stand out from its surroundings to make it easier to scan. If it blends in with the background too much, it could be difficult to scan. 

The code’s foreground should be a darker color than the background. The foreground includes the squares and lines. The background is everything between the boxes and lines. In general, QR code scanners will look for darker foregrounds. If this is reversed, the scanner might have trouble reading the code.  You can enter the exact color code if you are looking for a specific shade.

Name dropping

We give your QR code a shortened URL, much like you would get from bit.ly or goo.gl. You can edit this URL to make it whatever you like, giving you more branding opportunities. Put your brand name on it. Put your own name on it if you want. You can even put your pet’s name in it if it suits your needs.

Tip

You can use the shortened URL that we assign to your code for other purposes. Use it in emails, social posts or marketing without the QR code. It still links to the same place as the QR code.

Shapeshifter

The various lines and shapes within the QR code can all be changed. There are a variety of shape altering filters to choose from. Pick the one that fits your brand best.

Grade A

Apply a gradient to your code by having one color blend into another color. Choose whatever colors you like. Brand colors are always a great bet.

I’m feeling creative! How do I do all this?

QR codes are processed with the use of a Reed-Solomon code, which is a type of error correcting code used a lot in digital communication.

Register for a free trial or log into your existing account. Then, you’ll need to create a code by
  1. Clicking “Create QR Code.”
  2. Selecting the type of code to make.
  3. Filling out all the necessary information.
  4. Clicking “Save and Apply Changes.”
You’ve now created a standard looking black and white QR code with hard, square edges. If you’re okay with that, you can immediately start using your code.

To beautify it:

  1. Click on Design at the top of the page.
  2. Choose “QR Code Design.”
Here we should note that you are technically not editing the QR code itself. Instead, you are designing a QR code template. You can use this template for one specific project or for your entire account.

Basic Tools

1. Click the + to start designing a template.
2. Choose if you want this template to apply to this project or all your projects.
3. Adjust the Error correction (more on that below)
4. Adjust the QR color (foreground)
5. Adjust the canvas color (background)

Advanced Tools

Click on the down arrow beside “Basic Tools” and you will see a dropdown menu to get to the advanced tools.
1. Add a gradient to your code by choosing two different colors to blend together.
2. Choose from the various shapes you want your code to be. Pick the one you think represents your brand the most. You can now apply this template to as many QR codes as you like. When you are ready, click Save and apply changes and you will be redirected to the QR code design templates list. You can keep editing the current QR code by clicking Edit QR.

After that, follow these steps in order to apply a QR code template, like the one you just created, to a single QR code:
  1. Click Edit QR,
  2. click QR code template within the Design tab,
  3. choose a QR code template, and
  4. click Apply right below the QR code template.


Tip

As you’re editing your template, you will see how it will make your QR code look in real time after each change you make. We will also tell you if the code seems readable or not after each change.

Always test your codes with multiple phones (iOS and Android) to make sure it is readable.

What was that about error correction?

This allows a certain percentage of a QR code to be damaged or obstructed while still being scannable.

There are four levels of error correction:

1. L (7%)

2. M (15%)

3. Q (25%)

4. H (30%)

The level you choose will affect things like the number of lines and shapes and how “busy” the code looks.
In general, the lower levels look less busy.

Printability

Your code isn’t just to look at. You want to print it out and start using it. We offer a variety of file formats to choose from. We offer:

Raster images: PNG Vector images: EPS, PDF y SVG
Raster images are ideal for digital platforms.
Vector images are the way to go for print formats since they don’t lose resolution with size increase.

Size matters

There’s really no limit to how large your code can be, although you’ll want to keep in mind that the larger it is, the further away people will have to be from it to scan it. 

As for small codes, the minimum size a code can be and still be scannable is 1 x 1 cm (0.4 x 0.4 in). 

But, to be on the safe side, we recommend a minimum of 3 x 3 cm (1.6 x 1.6 in).

Test, test and retest

This is so important that it bears repeating: test, test, test. 

Use multiple phones. Use both iOS and Android. Make sure your code is scannable before you print it out hundreds of times. 

If you find that there is a mistake with the content of the code, (like, it links to the wrong video on your YouTube channel, for example), no problem! Just edit the content of the code. There’s no need to reprint it.

Customizing your code can bring more scans your way. Use colors, change the shape to suit your branding and add a gradient to catch people’s eye. QR codes give you the ability to let loose with your creativity, so go wild!

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