QR Codes for Business: A Complete Guide to Creating and Using Them

QR codes have experienced a massive resurgence. Once considered a niche technology, they are now everywhere — from restaurant menus to product packaging, business cards to billboards. Here is everything you need to know about using QR codes effectively for your business.

What Are QR Codes?

QR (Quick Response) codes are two-dimensional barcodes that can store URLs, text, contact information, Wi-Fi credentials, and more. They were invented in 1994 by Denso Wave for tracking automotive parts, but their ability to be scanned by smartphone cameras has made them ubiquitous in consumer applications.

Common Business Use Cases

Marketing and Advertising

• Print materials: Link brochures, flyers, and posters to landing pages
• Product packaging: Direct customers to product information, reviews, or recipes
• Business cards: Share your digital contact card (vCard)
• Storefronts: Link to your online store, menu, or booking system

Operations

• Inventory tracking: Encode product IDs and batch numbers
• Asset management: Tag equipment with QR codes linking to maintenance records
• Check-in systems: Events, co-working spaces, visitor management

Payments

• Mobile payments: Link to payment processors
• Invoicing: Include QR codes on invoices for quick payment
• Tipping: Digital tip jars at service locations

Design Best Practices

Size and Placement

• Minimum size: 2x2 cm (0.8x0.8 inches) for close scanning (business cards, product labels)
• Formula for distance: QR code size should be at least 1/10th of the scanning distance. For a billboard scanned from 10 meters, the code should be at least 1 meter wide
• Quiet zone: Maintain a white border around the QR code equal to 4 modules (the small squares)

Colors and Contrast

• Dark foreground on light background (high contrast is essential)
• The foreground must be at least 40% darker than the background
• Avoid red-green combinations (color blindness)
• You can customize colors while maintaining scannability

Error Correction

QR codes have built-in error correction at four levels:

• L (Low): 7% recovery — smallest code size
• M (Medium): 15% recovery — good default
• Q (Quartile): 25% recovery — recommended for printed materials
• H (High): 30% recovery — allows logos in the center

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Making codes too small — always test scanning at the intended distance
• Low contrast colors — the scanner needs to distinguish light and dark
• Broken URLs — always test the QR code before printing
• No call to action — tell people what they will get by scanning ("Scan for menu", "Scan to save 20%")
• Linking to non-mobile pages — ensure your destination is mobile-friendly
• Not tracking scans — use UTM parameters or a URL shortener to measure engagement

Creating QR Codes with PicTools

PicTools' QR Code Generator creates customizable QR codes directly in your browser. You can:

• Generate codes for URLs, text, Wi-Fi, email, and phone numbers
• Customize colors and size
• Choose error correction level
• Download in PNG or SVG format
• All processing happens locally — your data never leaves your device

This is especially important for sensitive use cases like Wi-Fi passwords, internal URLs, or payment links — you do not want that data passing through a third-party server.