QRZen

Flyers & posters

QR codes for flyers and posters

The print run is committed. The destination should not be. Generate a code below — go Pro to edit it after the flyers are out the door.

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The 500-flyer problem

You design the flyer, you proof it, you print 500 copies, you spend a Saturday morning putting them up around the neighborhood. Monday someone scans the code and lands on a 404 — the campaign page was at a different slug, or marketing changed it last week, or you typed even instead of event. With a static code that is a reprint, a recall, and a quiet wince. With a dynamic code you edit the destination on your phone and the same flyer keeps working.

Anything you print in quantity for a real-world audience — event posters, recruiting flyers, community board notices, real estate riders, conference signage, gallery wall labels, festival programs — should default to a dynamic QR code for exactly this reason. The cost of a Pro subscription is small next to the cost of a single botched print run.

Sizing for the viewing distance

Posters live further from the viewer than flyers. The simple rule: make the code at least 10% of the typical viewing distance on its longest side. A handout flyer scanned from 30 cm needs about a 3 cm code. An A2 poster across a 3 m hallway needs about a 30 cm code. A bus-shelter poster across a sidewalk needs whatever it needs — usually bigger than you think. Oversized codes never lose scans; undersized ones do.

Quiet zone, contrast, placement

Three habits cover most printed-QR failures. Leave a quiet zone — a clear white margin at least four QR modules wide around the pattern. Keep high contrast: dark code on a light background, ideally true black on white. Place the code where a phone can comfortably get to it; codes hidden behind glass, perched above eye level, or buried in a corner are codes nobody scans.

Give people a reason to scan

A bare QR code is asking for a leap of faith. A QR code next to two words that explain the payoff — “See the menu”, “RSVP”, “Watch the trailer”, “Apply for the role” — gets meaningfully more scans. Treat the call-to-action as part of the code; the code itself is just the door.

Generate a static code above for a one-off, or learn about dynamic codes for anything you would hate to reprint.

Keep exploring

Dynamic QR codes

The right tool for any printed marketing run.

Restaurant menus

The same logic, applied to table tents.

Static vs dynamic

When static is still the right answer.

See pricing

Free forever for static codes. Pro for dynamic codes and analytics.

Frequently asked questions

How big should a QR code be on a flyer or poster?

A useful rule of thumb is that the printed code should be at least 10% of the typical viewing distance on its longest side. A flyer scanned from 30 cm needs roughly a 3 cm code; a poster across a 3 m hallway needs roughly 30 cm. Go larger if in doubt — oversized codes never hurt scanning.

What if I printed a flyer with the wrong link?

If you used a static code, you are reprinting. If you used a dynamic code, you log in, edit the destination, and the next person to scan goes to the right place. This is the single best reason to default to dynamic for any printed marketing run.

Where should I place the code on a poster?

Lower right is the most common scanning sweet spot — close enough to read the headline first, low enough that people can hold a phone up comfortably without blocking their view of the rest. Avoid placing it where folds, edges, or other graphics might crop into the quiet zone.

Can I add a logo in the middle of the code?

Yes, within reason. QR codes have built-in error correction, which is what lets you cover up to about 15% of the pattern with a logo and still scan. Keep the logo small, centered, and high-contrast — and always test the printed result with two or three phones before sending the file to the printer.