How to Add a Logo to a QR Code Without Breaking It
A logo makes a QR code recognisable, and people are more willing to scan a code that clearly belongs to the brand in front of them. But a logo covers part of the pattern, so it has to be added with some care.
Why a logo can work at all
QR codes include error correction: extra data that lets a scanner rebuild parts of the code that are damaged or hidden. There are four levels: L (about 7% can be lost), M (15%), Q (25%) and H (30%).
A logo is, from the scanner’s point of view, damage. Using level H gives you the most room. QRizeo switches to high error correction when you add a logo.
How big can the logo be?
Even at level H, do not use the full 30%. The error correction also has to cope with print defects, glare and camera blur. A safe target is a logo no wider than about 20–25% of the code’s width, which covers only around 5% of its area.
The three large squares in the corners (finder patterns) and the smaller square near the bottom right (alignment pattern) must never be covered. They are how the scanner locates and straightens the code.
Give the logo a clear background
Cutting the pattern cleanly around the logo, with a small white margin, scans more reliably than placing a transparent logo over the modules. The half-covered modules at the edge of a transparent logo confuse scanners more than a clean gap.
Choosing the file
- Square or round logos work best; very wide wordmarks become tiny once scaled down.
- PNG with a transparent background or SVG gives the cleanest result.
- Simple icons beat detailed logos at small sizes. Consider using just your symbol, not the full logotype.
Colors
You can use brand colors for the code, as long as the modules stay clearly darker than the background. Deep navy, dark green or burgundy are fine; yellow, light grey or pastel shades are not. Keep the logo’s colors from blending into the modules around it.
Keep the data short
A logo plus a long link is the most common cause of a failing logo code. High error correction already adds modules; long data adds more, and each module ends up tiny. Shorten the link or print the code bigger.
Test it properly
Scan the final file with at least two phones, at the real print size and distance, in the lighting where it will be used. If one phone hesitates, reduce the logo size before anything else.