# QR code size for a flyer

> A flyer is read in the hand at 20–40 cm, so print the QR code at 2 cm minimum and 2.5–3 cm where the layout allows. On a folded DL piece keep the code at least 8 mm clear of every fold — a crease through the pattern is the most common flyer failure.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-flyer · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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## The distances a flyer actually lives at

| Context | Distance | Minimum code width |
|---|---|---|
| Held in the hand | 20 cm | 2 cm |
| Lying on a counter or table | 30 cm | 3 cm |
| Pinned to a noticeboard | 50 cm | 5 cm |

Design for the hand — that is where flyers get read — but notice the second life: a flyer
left on a café counter is scanned from 30 cm without being picked up. **2.5–3 cm covers
both cases** and costs almost nothing in layout terms. If the same artwork will also be
pinned up, you are really designing a small
[poster](/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-poster) and should size for 50 cm.

## What fits on the page

- **A5 (148 × 210 mm):** a 3 cm code plus [quiet zone](/glossary/quiet-zone) and a caption
  is a block of roughly 4 × 4.5 cm — about a fifth of the sheet's width. Easy.
- **DL (99 × 210 mm):** a single panel is 99 mm wide, so the same block is a third of the
  panel. Still comfortable, but it must be *placed*, not squeezed in last.
- **A6 postcards:** 2.5 cm is realistic; below that you are trading scans for whitespace.

Keep the code at least **8 mm inside the trim**, clear of bleed, as the
[bleed and safe-area guide](/docs/print/bleed-trim-and-safe-area-for-qr) sets out — flyers
are guillotined in stacks and cut drift is normal.

## The fold is the failure mode

Most flyers that fail do not fail on size — they fail on the crease. A DL piece is usually
an A4 sheet folded twice, and layouts built flat make it easy to park the code across a
fold line. A crease through the pattern breaks it twice over: the paper fibres crack the
ink along the fold, and the two halves sit at different angles to the camera so they never
share focus. Keep the code — including its quiet zone — **at least 8 mm from every fold**,
and check the folded dummy, not the flat PDF.

Handed-out flyers also get pocketed and crumpled, so **EC Q** is worth its cost here:
scuffs and small creases are exactly the localised damage
[error correction](/docs/spec/error-correction-levels-explained) exists to repair.

## Before the run

Flyers are printed in thousands, which makes a five-minute check cheap insurance: run the
payload through the [size calculator](/size-calculator), print one proof, fold it, scan it
from 30 cm, and [verify the artwork decodes](/validate). The full routine is in the
[pre-press checklist](/docs/print/qr-code-print-checklist), and placement-on-the-page
advice lives on the [flyers surface page](/qr-codes-on/flyers).

## FAQ

### How big should a QR code be on a flyer?
At least 2 cm, and 2.5–3 cm if the flyer may also be read lying on a counter. Flyers are held at 20–40 cm, so the sizing is forgiving — the fold placement and print quality are the usual failure points.

### Where should a QR code go on a folded flyer?
On a single panel, at least 8 mm from every fold and trim edge, with the quiet zone intact. A crease through the code cracks the ink and angles the two halves apart, which defeats scanning even when the size is right.

### What error correction level should a flyer QR code use?
Q is a good choice for handouts, because pocket creases and scuffs are localised damage that error correction can genuinely repair. Use M if the flyer will only ever be read flat and fresh.

### Can I use the same QR code size for a flyer and a poster?
No. A flyer is read at arm's length; a poster from a metre or more. The same artwork pinned to a wall needs a 5–10 cm code where the in-hand version needed 2–3 cm.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/url
- https://useqr.app/size-calculator
- https://useqr.app/validate