# MeCard

> MeCard is a compact contact format created by NTT DoCoMo. It encodes the same essentials as a vCard in roughly 40% fewer bytes, producing a visibly coarser and more scannable code at the same printed size.

Source: https://useqr.app/glossary/mecard · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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## The shape

```
MECARD:N:Lovelace,Ada;TEL:+14155552671;EMAIL:ada@example.com;;
```

One line, semicolon-delimited, terminated with a double semicolon. Name is
`family,given`. Fields: `N`, `TEL`, `EMAIL`, `URL`, `ADR`, `NOTE`, `ORG`.

## The size difference

| Format | Same contact | Version at EC M |
|---|---|---|
| vCard 3.0 | ~180 bytes | 8 (49 × 49) |
| MeCard | ~95 bytes | 5 (37 × 37) |

That matters on a business card, a badge, or anything under 2.5 cm.

## The trade-off

Fewer field types — no job title, no multiple typed numbers, no photo — and weaker support
among desktop scanning tools. Phone cameras handle it fine.