How do I put a QR code on business cards?
Updated September 14, 2026 · 3 min read
Create a vCard Plus QR code, export it as SVG or PDF, and give it at least a 2 cm square on the card with clear space on all four sides. Because the code is dynamic, a job title or phone number can be changed later and every card already printed keeps working. Scan the printer's proof with two different phones before you approve the run.
In this video
Video transcript
Here is how to put a QR code on business cards that scan first time. You create a vCard Plus code, export it as a vector file, and test it before the print run.
Cards fail at the printer for three reasons. First, a small image scaled up goes blurry. Second, low contrast. Third, the details change, and a static code means a reprint. A dynamic code fixes the third one for good.
In the dashboard, click Create new, then Create a QR Code. Pick vCard Plus and keep it on Dynamic. Name the code, then type the name, job title, company, mobile phone and email. Choose a theme with a dark pattern on a light background, then Download.
Open the code and click the download icon. For print, choose SVG or PDF. Both are vector, so they scale to any size on the card without blur. PDF also lets you pick a page size. Save the file and send that one to the printer.
Because the code is dynamic, a job change is an edit. Open the code, click Edit, change the title, and click Update. Every card you already printed now shows the new details.
Before you print, three checks. First, scan the downloaded file from your screen with two different phones. Second, leave clear space around the code. Third, keep a dark pattern on a light background, and avoid glossy finishes over the code.
Try it on the seven-day free trial. No credit card, five dynamic QR codes. Link in the description.
Which QR code type to use on a card
vCard Plus is the type built for this. It is dynamic only, and the scanner lands on a hosted contact page with your photo, details, social links and a Save Contact button that adds you straight to their phone.
Two alternatives are worth knowing:
- URL or Website if the card should open your site, a booking page or a portfolio instead of a contact card.
- List of Links if you want one code to offer several destinations — site, calendar, WhatsApp, LinkedIn.
All three can be edited after printing as long as you keep them on Dynamic. A static code bakes the details into the pattern, so a new job title means a new print run.
Steps in the dashboard
- Start the code. Open Create QR Code, pick vCard Plus from the type grid and leave the toggle on Dynamic.
- Fill in the contact. Give the code a QR Code Name for your own list, then complete Name, Surname, job title, Company, Mobile, Email and Website. Address, landline, a photo and social profiles are optional.
- Design it. On the QR Design step pick a theme with a dark pattern on a light background. If you add a logo, keep the Logo size slider near the low end — a large logo eats dots that a small printed code cannot spare.
- Download. Click Download ✓, then choose SVG or PDF in the Save as... dialog. Send that file to the printer, not a screenshot.
Size and placement on the card
A standard card gives you plenty of room if you plan for it:
- At least 2 cm (0.8 in) square. A card is read at arm's length, so this is the size to aim for. Do not shrink it below that to win layout space.
- Clear space on four sides — about 10% of the code's width. Keep the pattern away from the trim edge, any fold, and other artwork.
- Dark on light. Inverted codes (light dots on a dark card) are read by far fewer phones. If the card is dark, put the code inside a light panel.
- Avoid gloss over the pattern. A spot varnish or laminate reflects the light a camera needs.
Export for the printer
Use a vector file. In Save as...:
- SVG — a vector file that scales to any size. It ignores the file-size picker on purpose.
- PDF — also vector, and it lets you pick a Page format from A4 to A0 if the printer wants a page rather than an asset.
- JPEG if and only if the print shop asks for CMYK. Color mode offers RGB and CMYK, and CMYK is applied to JPEG only — choosing it with PNG changes nothing.
If the printer asks for a high-resolution raster instead, use PNG at 4096 × 4096. Anything smaller will show its edges once it is scaled into a layout.
Before you print
- Open the destination on a phone and check the contact page looks right — name spelling, working phone number, live website.
- Scan the exported file from your screen with an iPhone and an Android phone.
- Scan the printer's physical proof, in ordinary indoor light, at arm's length.
- Check the proof for the margin: no artwork, fold or trim line touching the pattern.
Test scans are recorded like any other scan, so your analytics will start at a handful rather than zero. Testing a QR code before a print run covers how to keep those out of your numbers.
Common problems
My details changed after the cards were printed
Open the code, click Edit, change the fields and click Update ✓. Every printed card now shows the new details — the pattern never changes.
The code prints blurry
A raster image was scaled up. Replace it with the SVG or PDF export.
The contact will not save on an iPhone
See why a vCard QR code does not save the contact on iPhone — it is usually an in-app browser rather than the code.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a QR code be on a business card?
At least 2 cm (0.8 in) square, with clear space of about 10% of its width on every side. Smaller is possible on a good printer but leaves no margin for error.
Can I change the phone number after the cards are printed?
Yes, if the code is dynamic. Open it, click Edit, change the field and click Update. Static codes cannot be edited at all.
SVG or PDF for a print shop?
Either — both are vector and stay sharp at any size. Use PDF if the shop wants a page with a set format, SVG if they want an asset to place.
Do I need CMYK?
Only if your printer asks for it. CMYK is offered on JPEG downloads and is applied to JPEG only; a vector SVG or PDF is usually what a print shop prefers.
Will people need an app to scan it?
No. The camera app on current iPhones and Android phones reads QR codes without any extra app.
Related articles
How do I create a vCard QR code (digital business card)?
Choose vCard Plus, fill in Name, Organization, Mobile Phone and Email, then Download. Scanners get a contact page with a Save Contact button.
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.
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.
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.
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.