# QR codes on digital signage

> Digital signage QR codes follow the same ten-to-one rule as print — 10–30 cm for a 1–3 m viewing distance — with two screen-specific problems: dwell time in the playlist, and glare from ambient lighting.

Source: https://useqr.app/qr-codes-on/digital-signage · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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| Typical scan distance | **1–3 m** |
|---|---|
| Minimum code width | **10–30 cm** |
| Error correction | **M** |

## Playlist dwell time

A ten-second slot is not enough. The viewer must notice the code, decide to act, get their
phone out and frame it. **Twenty to thirty seconds** for a slide carrying a code, and it
should be the last thing on the slide so it is still there while they fumble.

## Glare

A screen in a bright mall or a sunlit window reflects everything. Matt anti-glare panels are
worth the extra cost wherever the code matters. Raising brightness helps less than reducing
reflection.

## Brightness and contrast

Do not use a mid-grey background thinking it looks softer. Pure white background, pure black
modules. Screens have huge dynamic range and there is no reason to spend any of it.

## Height and angle

Centre the code at 1.4–1.6 m. Screens mounted high, angled down, are scanned at steep angles
where decoding degrades quickly.

## Refresh and burn-in

On OLED signage, a static code left permanently in the same position risks image retention.
Move it a few pixels between loops, or vary its position between slides.

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