Which size and resolution should I download for print or screen?
Updated September 14, 2026 · 3 min read
For anything on a screen, 512 × 512 px is plenty. For print, pick the largest raster size that fits your artwork — 2048 px covers most flyers and posters, 4096 px covers large-format work — or better, download the SVG, which has no fixed resolution at all. PNG and JPEG offer four sizes in the Save as... dialog: 512, 1024, 2048 and 4096 px square.
How big does the file need to be?
Printers usually work at 300 dpi, which is 300 pixels for every inch of finished artwork. That turns each download size into a maximum print size:
| Download size | At 300 dpi it prints up to | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 512 × 512 | about 4.3 cm (1.7 in) | Websites, slides, emails, app screens |
| 1024 × 1024 | about 8.7 cm (3.4 in) | Business cards, labels, table tents |
| 2048 × 2048 | about 17 cm (6.8 in) | Flyers, menus, packaging, A4 posters |
| 4096 × 4096 | about 35 cm (13.7 in) | Large posters, window graphics, signage |
Large-format printers that people read from a distance often work at 150 dpi, in which case each size covers twice the area above. If you do not know, ask the printer for their dpi and divide your finished code width in inches into it.
Choosing a size larger than you need costs nothing but file size, so when in doubt go bigger. Choosing one too small cannot be undone — enlarging a small PNG blurs the edges of the modules, which is exactly what makes a code fail to scan.
Steps
- Open My QR Codes, then Download from the code's row menu — or open the code and click Download.
- Click PNG (or JPEG if the press has asked for CMYK).
- Pick your File size.
- Click Download.
The dialog remembers nothing between downloads, so check the size each time. The size you picked is in the file name — a 2048 px download of a code called "Spring menu" saves as spring_menu_2048.png.
When to skip pixels entirely
Download the SVG instead of a PNG whenever:
- A designer or print shop will place the code into a layout.
- The finished size is not settled yet.
- The same code goes on several pieces at different sizes.
- The job is a cut, an engrave or an embroidery rather than an ink print.
A vector file has no resolution to get wrong — it is redrawn sharp at whatever size it is placed. The Save as... dialog hides the size list when SVG is selected for exactly this reason. See downloading your QR code as SVG.
Common problems
The size picker has disappeared
You have SVG or PDF selected. SVG is size-independent, and PDF uses Page format instead.
I can only pick one size
Free plans get a single low-quality PNG. Any paid plan and the free trial unlock all four sizes plus JPEG, SVG and PDF.
My printed code came out blurry
Almost always a small file scaled up. Re-download at 2048 or 4096 px, or use the SVG, and check the proof rather than your screen — see test a QR code before printing.
My code is huge on the web page
Download 512 px for screens. A 4096 px PNG slows the page down for no visible benefit, since the browser scales it down anyway.
My download has a frame and is not square
With a frame on, the size you pick applies to the longest edge of the framed artwork and the aspect ratio is kept. The code inside is smaller than the number you selected, so pick one size larger than you would for a bare code.
Frequently asked questions
What dpi are the downloads?
Raster files have no dpi of their own — dpi is decided when you place the file at a size. A 2048 px file placed 17 cm wide is 300 dpi; the same file placed 34 cm wide is 150 dpi.
Which size is best for a business card?
1024 px is enough for a code around 2 cm, with room to spare. Use the SVG if your designer is laying the card out.
Does a bigger download make the code easier to scan?
Only if it stops the printed code being blurry. Scannability is decided by the printed size and the contrast, not by the pixel count of the source file.
Can I download a custom pixel size?
No. PNG and JPEG offer 512, 1024, 2048 and 4096 px. Use the SVG and set the size yourself if you need something exact.
Does the size setting change the code itself?
No. Every size encodes the same destination and the same pattern.
Related articles
Can I download my QR code as SVG, PDF or another vector format?
Yes. Open the code, click Download, and pick SVG in the Save as... dialog. JPEG, PNG and PDF are there too. Paid plans and the free trial get all four.
What size should I print my QR code?
Print at least 2 cm square for a phone held close. Further away, divide the scanning distance by 10. Always leave a clear margin around the pattern.
How do I export a print-ready PDF or a CMYK file?
Open Download, pick PDF and a page format from A4 to A0. CMYK is a JPEG-only option — SVG and PDF have no colour-mode switch.
How do I test a QR code before sending it to print?
Scan the exported file and then the printer's physical proof with at least two phones, check the destination on mobile, and check the margin and contrast.
How do I download a QR code again after creating it?
Open My QR Codes, use the row menu's Download, and pick a format in Save as... You can download the same code as often as you like, in any format.
Still stuck?
Email support@qrcodestack.com with the email on your account and, if it is about one code, its name or short link. A person replies within one business day, usually sooner.