MeCard QR codes — how they work

MeCard stores a contact in a compact single-line format that produces a QR code roughly 40% smaller than the equivalent vCard. It carries fewer field types and has slightly weaker desktop support, so it is the right choice when print size matters more than field richness.

The payload

One line, semicolon-delimited, ending with a semicolon:

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

Field	Meaning
`N`	Name as `family,given`
`TEL`	Phone, international format
`EMAIL`	Email address
`URL`	Website
`ADR`	Address, comma-separated
`NOTE`	Free text
`ORG`	Organisation (not universally honoured)

Escaping uses a backslash before ;, : and , — the same trap as vCard, with the same consequence when ignored.

Why it is smaller

vCard spends bytes on structure: BEGIN:VCARD, VERSION:3.0, END:VCARD, a line break per property, and type parameters like ;TYPE=CELL. MeCard has none of that.

A name, one phone, one email and a URL:

Format	Bytes	QR version at EC M	Modules
vCard 3.0	~180	8	49 × 49
MeCard	~95	5	37 × 37

That is a visibly coarser, more forgiving code at the same printed size — which matters on a business card, a badge or anything printed under 2.5 cm.

Where support is thinner

MeCard originated with NTT DoCoMo for Japanese feature phones. Today:

iOS camera: recognised, offers to create a contact.
Android camera / Google Lens: recognised.
Desktop scanners and some third-party apps: many show the raw string rather than offering a contact import.

If the code will be scanned by phone cameras — which is nearly always — MeCard is fine. If it might be processed by desktop tooling or older enterprise scanners, prefer vCard.

Choosing between them

Use MeCard when the printed code must be small, or when the contact is just a name, one number, one email and a link.

Use vCard when you need job title, organisation, multiple typed phone numbers, a structured address, or maximum compatibility with desktop software.

FAQ

Is MeCard better than vCard?

Neither is better; they trade richness for size. MeCard produces a code about 40% smaller with fewer fields. vCard carries more field types and has broader desktop support.

Do iPhones read MeCard?

Yes. The iOS camera recognises MeCard and offers to create a contact, as does Android and Google Lens. Support is weaker among desktop scanning tools.

Which fields does MeCard support?

Name, telephone, email, URL, address, note and organisation. There is no job title, no multiple typed numbers and no photo.

Why is my MeCard contact importing wrongly?

Almost always unescaped semicolons, colons or commas inside a value — they terminate the field early. Generate the code rather than hand-writing the string.