QR Codes on Business Cards
A QR code on a business card stores a vCard so a phone can save your name, phone, email, and company without typing. On ForQRCode you pick a 3.5 by 2 inch layout, edit the live card, and download a print file. The scan still works after you leave the site because the contact data sits in the pattern.
Make the Card
Click a line on the card and type. The QR code stores a vCard from those fields.
Ink editorial
PNG downloads the selected side. SVG and PDF include front and back.
Click a name or contact line on the card to edit it.
Front
Back
Card Logo
Style · QR
Edit card details
Print Size and Scan Specs
These numbers are what we design the canvas around. They match common print shops and the quiet-zone rule in ISO/IEC 18004.
| US card size | 3.5 by 2 inches (89 by 51 mm). The canvas exports at 1050 by 600 pixels, which is 300 dpi at that size. |
|---|---|
| ISO ID-1 / CR80 | 85.6 by 54 mm. Close to the US card. Ask the printer which stock they cut. |
| QR print size | Keep the code at least 2 by 2 cm (about 0.8 inch). On this canvas the slot is 240 px, a bit over 0.8 inch. |
| Quiet zone | Leave four modules of empty light space around the code. The editor keeps a white pad so you cannot drag type on top of it. |
| File resolution | Download SVG or PDF for a print shop. PNG from this page is 1050 by 600 px at 300 dpi for a standard card. |
| Contrast | Dark modules on a light patch. Pale gray on cream will fail under office lighting. |
How to Put a QR Code on a Business Card
Pick a layout, type your details on the card, then download a print file.
- 1
Open the Card Editor
Stay on this page and scroll to the card. Ten layouts sit in the strip above the canvas.
- 2
Choose a Template
Click a layout. Your text stays. The QR slot stays large enough to scan on a 3.5 by 2 inch card.
- 3
Type on the Card
Click a line to select it, click again to type. On a phone, tap the line and use the sheet that opens.
- 4
Check the vCard
Name, title, company, phone, email, and website go into a vCard 3.0 payload. Scan the preview with your own phone.
- 5
Leave the QR Alone
Do not cover finder squares or drop the contrast. A logo belongs on the card art, not inside this small code.
- 6
Download the File
PNG is fine for a proof. SVG or PDF is what most printers want.
- 7
Test a Paper Proof
Print one card, scan it at a desk and in a hallway. If it fails, enlarge the code or darken the modules before a full run.
What a Scan Actually Saves
This maker encodes vCard 3.0: formatted name, title, organization, phone, email, and a website. iPhone Camera and Google Contacts both understand that format.
A vCard on paper is static. If you change jobs, the printed square still points at the old file. Reprint, or put a URL in the code instead so you can move the landing page later.
If you only need the square and already have a card layout in InDesign, use the vCard generator and drop the SVG into your file. This page is for people who want the card and the code in one download.
Printing without a Reprint Surprise
Keep the code on a flat, matte area. Gloss, heavy varnish, and folds across the square all break cameras. The minimum we use here is about 0.8 inch plus a white pad.
Black on white is still the safest pair. Color is fine when the modules stay much darker than the patch behind them. Test the phone you actually carry, not only the one on your desk.
Related tools
Questions about QR Codes on Business Cards
Should I put a QR code on a business card?
Yes if you want someone to save a contact without typing. A 3.5 by 2 inch card has room for a 2 cm code plus a short line that says what the scan does.
How large should the QR code be?
Do not go under 2 by 2 cm (0.8 inch) on a card. The templates on this page keep the slot at 240 px on a 1050 px wide canvas, which is a little over that.
vCard or a website URL?
Use a vCard when the goal is “save this person.” Use a URL when the goal is a portfolio, calendar, or a page you might change. A static vCard does not update after print.
Do QR codes have to be black and white?
No. They need contrast. Dark modules on a light patch scan. Light modules on a dark card need a light square behind the code, which these night layouts already include.
Can I change the destination later?
Not with a static vCard. Print a new card, or encode a URL you control. Dynamic short links from a ForQRCode account can move the destination without a new square.
What file should I send to a printer?
SVG or PDF. PNG at 1050 by 600 is a 300 dpi proof of a US card. Ask the shop if they want bleed. This canvas is trim size only, no bleed.
Will every phone save the contact?
Current iPhone Camera and most Android cameras open a vCard. Older Android builds may need a QR app. Test one scan on iOS and one on Android before you print a box of cards.