# QR codes on stickers

> Sticker QR codes are usually scanned close, so 1.5–4 cm is enough — but stickers get scuffed, curled and rained on, which is why error-correction level Q is the sensible default here rather than M.

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

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| Typical scan distance | **15–40 cm** |
|---|---|
| Minimum code width | **1.5–4 cm** |
| Error correction | **Q** |

## Why Q rather than M

A sticker's failure modes are physical: a corner peels, a thumb rubs the surface, grit
scratches it, UV fades the ink. Level Q tolerates about 25% damage against M's 15%, and on a
small code the extra version costs little.

Do not jump to H reflexively — it may push the version up two steps, shrinking every module
and making the code harder to scan when clean.

## Material choices

| Material | Life outdoors | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | weeks | Indoor only; ink runs |
| Vinyl (monomeric) | 1–3 years | Flat surfaces |
| Vinyl (cast/polymeric) | 5–7 years | Conforms to curves |
| Polyester | 5+ years | Chemical and heat resistant |
| Polypropylene | 2–4 years | Good for bottles and tubs |

**Matt laminate** for anything scanned in daylight or under lighting; gloss laminate causes
the same specular failure as gloss paper.

## Curved surfaces

On a bottle or a tube, keep the code within about a third of the circumference. Beyond that,
the curvature at the edges exceeds what the alignment patterns can correct — and a code
below version 2 has no alignment patterns at all.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/url
- https://useqr.app/size-calculator
- https://useqr.app/validate