How to add a logo to a QR code

Set error correction to Q or H, place the logo centrally at under about 20% of the code area, give it two or three modules of clear space, and verify the result decodes. Never let it touch a corner square — those are not protected by error correction.

1. Shorten the payload first

A logo consumes error-correction budget, and raising the level pushes the version up. Start by making the payload as short as you reasonably can, so the code stays low-version and the modules stay large.

2. Set error correction to Q or H

Level	Damage tolerated	Practical centre logo
M	~15%	up to ~10% of area
Q	~25%	up to ~18%
H	~30%	up to ~25%

Q is usually enough and produces a less dense code than H. Reach for H only if the logo is large or the code will be scuffed.

3. Place it centrally

The centre of a QR code is data, and data is what error correction protects. Never let the logo touch:

the three corner squares,
the strip beside each corner square (format information),
row 6 or column 6 (timing patterns),
the four-module quiet zone.

4. Give the logo a clear panel

Put it on a solid light rectangle with two or three modules of clearance. A logo sitting directly on the pattern produces half-covered modules at its edge, and ambiguous modules are worse for a decoder than cleanly missing ones.

5. Keep the logo simple

At the size a centre logo occupies — often 8–12 mm printed — fine detail is lost anyway. A monochrome mark or a single letter reads better than a full lockup and costs less of the budget.

6. Verify

This is the step that matters. UseQR rasterises the finished artwork and reads it back with a real decoder before you can download it, so a logo that has crept past the budget fails immediately. The validator reports how much margin remains.

Do not trust a preview. A code that looks fine and does not decode is the most expensive kind of mistake, because you only discover it after printing.

7. Print a proof

Scan the physical proof from the real distance under realistic lighting. A logo consumes budget that print imperfection and glare also draw on.

When to skip the logo

If the code will be printed small, scanned in poor light, or exposed outdoors, plain is the better engineering choice. A logo is worth its cost where trust matters — a payment standee, a charity appeal — and not much elsewhere.

FAQ

Can I put my logo in a QR code?

Yes, centrally, at up to roughly 20–25% of the code area with error correction Q or H. It must not touch the corner squares or the quiet zone.

What error correction level do I need for a logo?

Q for most cases, H for larger logos. Shorten the payload first, because higher levels push the version up and shrink every module.

Why does my logo QR code not scan?

Either the logo is too large for the error-correction level, it overlaps a structural region such as a corner square, or it sits directly on the pattern creating ambiguous half-covered modules.

How do I know the logo has not broken the code?

Decode the finished artwork with a real decoder. UseQR does this automatically before download rather than leaving you to find out after printing.