Design
Adding a logo to a QR code, safely
Keep the logo central, under about 20–25% of the code area, at error-correction level Q or H, on a solid light panel with two or three modules of clearance. Never let it touch a corner square, and verify by decoding the finished artwork.
The coverage budget
| Level | Damage tolerated | Practical centre logo |
|---|---|---|
| L | ~7% | none |
| M | ~15% | up to ~10% of area |
| Q | ~25% | up to ~18% |
| H | ~30% | up to ~25% |
Stay below the theoretical ceiling. Print imperfection, glare and camera angle all draw on the same budget, and a code that only just decodes on screen has nothing left for the real world.
Where a logo must never go
Error correction protects data, not structure:
- The three corner squares (finder patterns) — cover any part and the scanner cannot locate the code.
- The four-module quiet zone.
- The strip beside each finder (format information) — damage here and the decoder unmasks incorrectly and the payload is lost entirely.
- Row 6 and column 6 (timing patterns).
A centre logo is safe because the centre is data. A logo drifting toward a corner is not.
Give the logo its own quiet zone
Place it on a solid light panel with two or three modules of clear space around it. A logo sitting directly on the pattern creates partially-covered modules at its edge, and ambiguous modules are worse for a decoder than cleanly missing ones.
Do not just raise to H
Level H needs more codewords, pushing the version up and shrinking every module at the same printed size. If the code is already dense, that can break it before the logo is even added.
Correct order: shorten the payload → raise error correction → add the logo → verify.
Verify, always
Every code UseQR generates is rasterised and read back with a real decoder before download, so a logo that has crept past the budget fails immediately rather than after the print run. The validator reports how much margin is left.
The honest question
A logo makes a code recognisably yours, which can raise scan rates where trust matters — a payment standee, a charity appeal. It also consumes robustness. If the code will be printed small, scanned in poor light, or exposed outdoors, plain is the better engineering choice.
FAQ
How big can a logo be in a QR code?
Up to roughly 25% of the code area at error-correction level H, placed centrally. At level M, keep it under about 10%.
Can I put a logo over the corner squares?
No. Those are finder patterns and are not protected by error correction. Covering any part prevents the scanner from finding the code.
Do I need error correction H for a logo?
Q is usually sufficient and produces a less dense code. Use H only for larger logos, and shorten the payload first so the version stays low.
Why does my logo code scan on my phone but not others?
You are at the edge of the budget. Different cameras, lighting and distances consume the remaining margin differently. Reduce coverage until there is real headroom.