How to make a custom QR code with your logo

A branded QR code is a normal QR with three things changed: your logo sits in the middle, the colours match your brand, and the module shape (the little squares that make up the code) is often softened — rounded, dotted or pill-shaped. Underneath, it still encodes the same bits a black-and-white QR would, so any phone reads it the same way.

The reason most homemade branded QRs fail to scan isn't the logo or the colour — it's that the generator wasn't told to use error-correction level H. That's the trick.

Every QR code has a built-in error-correction layer that lets phones still read it when part of the code is missing or covered. There are four levels:

• L (Low) — ~7% recoverable. Don't add a logo at this level.
• M (Medium) — ~15%. The default for most generators. A small logo might work; bigger ones break.
• Q (Quartile) — ~25%. Better, but still risky once you add brand colours and a logo together.
• H (High) — ~30%. The right choice for any branded QR. A 20–25% logo sits well within the recoverable area.

Taproo's branded QR generator uses level H by default. If you're using a different tool, check the settings — the option is usually called "ECC", "error correction" or "redundancy".

1. 1. Pick what the QR should open

   Most branded QRs point at a website, vCard, Instagram profile, menu, Wi-Fi join page or review prompt. Decide first — the destination URL determines the QR's data length and final density.

2. 2. Choose error-correction level H

   Level H (highest) tolerates ~30% of the QR being damaged or covered. That headroom is what lets a centred logo work without breaking the scan. Always pick H when adding a logo — never L or M.

3. 3. Add your logo (centred, 20–25% wide)

   Drop your logo into the middle of the QR. Keep it within 20–25% of the total width — bigger and you eat into the data area; smaller and it looks like an accident. A square or circular logo with a small white padding ring scans best.

4. 4. Set brand colours (with enough contrast)

   Pick a dark foreground colour (your brand primary) on a light background. Aim for at least 40% contrast — phones with cheap cameras struggle with low-contrast or inverted (light-on-dark) QRs.

5. 5. Test on three real phones before printing

   Generate the final PNG or SVG, display it on a screen at the actual print size, and scan with one iPhone, one modern Android, and one older Android. If any phone hesitates, increase the size or contrast.

6. 6. Download — or upgrade to dynamic

   Export a high-res PNG or vector SVG for free. If there's any chance the destination URL will change later, switch to a dynamic Taproo QR before printing — the printed code stays the same, but you can re-target it from your dashboard whenever you like.

• Dark on light wins. Phone QR readers are tuned for dark modules on a light background. If you must invert, test obsessively.
• ≥40% contrast. Use a contrast checker. Pastel-on-pastel and "tone-on-tone" branded QRs are the #1 reason scans fail.
• No gradients on the modules. Gradients on the background are fine. Gradients on the actual data modules confuse some camera apps.
• Quiet zone matters. Keep ~4 modules of empty space around the QR. Don't crop right up to the edge or overlay text on top.

The minimum reliable size is roughly scan-distance ÷ 10. So a QR scanned from 1 metre needs to be at least 10 cm wide; a poster scanned from across the room (3 m) needs about 30 cm. Branded QRs need a touch more — round up to the next 5 mm.

For print, always export SVG (or PDF) so the code stays sharp at any size. PNGs are fine for digital use (Instagram bio, email signatures, slide decks).