How to Make a QR Code with Logo

By Sheraz Khan

A QR code with your logo looks like it belongs to your business. People see your mark in the middle of the code and know at a glance who made it. A plain black and white code works, but a branded code looks better on a business card, a menu, or a product box. The good news is that you can add a logo to a QR code for free, and the code will still scan on any phone, as long as you keep the logo small and use the right settings. This guide shows you how to make a QR code with logo, step by step. The code is made with the free QR code generator with logo. It is free, it needs no sign-up, and the code never expires.

What is a QR code with logo?

A QR code with logo is a normal QR code with a small picture placed in the middle. The picture is usually a business logo. The code still holds the same details, for example a website link, and a phone reads it the same way. The logo sits on top of part of the code, so the code must be able to survive with a piece covered. That is why error correction matters. A QR code has built-in error correction that lets it scan even if part of it is damaged or covered. When you add a logo, you must set error correction to High so the code has enough spare room. If the logo is small and the error correction is High, the code scans just like a plain code.

How to make a QR code with logo

Making a logo code takes less than a minute. Open the free QR code generator with logo. The tool opens on the Link tab. Paste your website link in the box called Website link. For example, paste https://freeqrtools.online. Next, find the box called Add your logo and click it. Pick your logo file from your computer or phone. The logo appears in the middle of the code in the preview. Now set error correction to High. You will find it under the options, next to Download size. Leave the download size at 512 pixels. When the preview looks right, click Download PNG to save the code. Test the code with your phone before you print it. If it scans, you are done.

Worked example: a code with the Free QR Tools logo

Here is a full worked example. Open the Link tab and paste https://freeqrtools.online as the website link. Upload the Free QR Tools logo in the box called Add your logo. Set error correction to High and download size to 512 pixels. The preview shows the code with the logo in the middle. The line under it reads “Encoded content: https://freeqrtools.online”. Download the code as a PNG. Scan it with your phone. It opens the Free QR Tools home page. The code below is a real code made with this tool. It has the Free QR Tools logo in the middle.

Example QR code with the Free QR Tools logo that opens the home page.

How big should the logo be?

Keep the logo small. A good rule is that the logo should cover no more than one fifth of the code. If the logo is wider than that, it will block too much of the code and the phone will not be able to read it. Most tools, including this one, size the logo for you. But if you upload a very wide logo, it may still come out too big. Use a square logo, or crop it to a square before you upload it. A square logo sits neatly in the middle. If your logo is long and thin, it will not fit well. In that case, use just the mark or the icon part of your logo, not the full wordmark.

Why error correction High matters

Error correction is the code’s ability to keep working when part of it is covered or damaged. There are four levels: Low, Medium, Quartile, and High. Low lets the code survive about 7 percent damage. Medium lets it survive about 15 percent. Quartile lets it survive about 25 percent. High lets it survive about 30 percent. A logo covers part of the code, so you need the highest level. Set error correction to High whenever you add a logo. The code will look a little busier, with more small squares, but it will scan well. If you use Medium with a logo, the code may scan on a new phone in good light but fail on an older phone or in dim light. High is the safe choice.

Best logo file to use

Use a PNG file with a clear background if you can. A PNG with a clear background lets the white of the code show through around the logo, which keeps the code clean. A JPG file always has a white box around it, which can look messy. Make sure the logo has strong contrast. A dark logo on a white code works best. A light logo, for example a white logo, will vanish on a white code. If your logo is white, put it on a dark square first, or use a coloured version. Keep the file small. A logo of a few hundred kilobytes is plenty. A huge file will slow the page down and will not make the printed code any sharper.

Where to use a logo QR code

A logo code is best where the code represents your brand. Put it on a business card, so people remember whose card it is. Put it on a menu or a table card, so guests know it is your menu. Put it on product packaging, so buyers can scan it for more details. Put it on a poster or a shop sign, so passers-by see your brand. Do not use a logo code where the code must be read from far away or in poor light, for example on a roadside billboard. For those, a plain code with no logo is safer, because it is easier to read.

What to do if a logo code will not scan

Most logo code problems have a simple fix. First, make the logo smaller. If it covers more than a fifth of the code, shrink it. Second, set error correction to High. If it is on Medium, change it to High and download the code again. Third, check the contrast. A light logo on a white code will not show. Use a dark logo. Fourth, print the code bigger. A small printed code with a logo is hard to read. Print it at least 5 centimetres across. Fifth, test the printed code with your own phone before you print lots of copies. If your phone reads it, most phones will.

FAQs

Does adding a logo make a QR code stop working?

No, as long as you keep the logo small and set error correction to High. The code is built to survive with part of it covered. Test the code with your phone to be sure.

What is the best error correction for a logo code?

High. It gives the code the most room to survive with the logo in the middle. Use High for every logo code.

Can I use a JPG logo?

Yes, but a PNG with a clear background looks better. A JPG always has a white box around it, which can make the code look messy. Use a PNG if you can.

Do logo QR codes expire?

No. A logo code from this site is a static code, so it never expires. It works for as long as the details it holds are still true.

Can I add a logo to a WiFi or vCard code?

Yes. You can add a logo to any code the tool makes. Open the tab you want, fill in the details, upload your logo, and set error correction to High. The logo works the same way on every kind of code.