Why is my QR code blurry?

A QR code looks sharp on screen and turns to mush on paper. The cause is nearly always the same: the image did not have enough pixels for the size it was printed at. A QR code is a grid of tiny squares — when there are not enough pixels, the edges smear, phones cannot find the grid, and scans fail.

The 5 usual causes

1. Low-resolution export. A 512 px PNG looks fine at 2 cm wide. Blown up to a 20 cm poster, each module becomes a smudge. The bigger the print, the more pixels you need.
2. JPEG compression. JPEG smears sharp edges — exactly what a QR code is made of. A code saved as a low-quality JPEG can fail even at small sizes. PNG or SVG only.
3. Stretching. Dragging a corner of the image distorts the grid: squares become rectangles, and scanners give up. Always resize proportionally.
4. Bad print. Low-DPI printers, ink bleed on rough or absorbent paper, and glossy glare all soften edges. Matte paper and a laser printer beat an inkjet on a napkin.
5. Copy of a copy. Screenshotting a code from a message, then screenshotting that screenshot, loses resolution each time. Always go back to the original export.

How to fix it

• Export bigger. PNG at 1024 px for cards and flyers, 2048 px for posters. Rule of thumb: the print size in cm, times ~100, is the pixels you want.
• Use SVG for print. SVG is vector — infinitely scalable with zero blur. Use it whenever the printer or designer accepts it.
• Keep proportions. Hold Shift (or the lock icon) when resizing so the squares stay square.
• Test at final size. Print one copy at the real size, step back to the real viewing distance, and scan it with your phone. If it reads first try, the batch is safe.

Still not scanning after a sharp reprint? The problem is something else — size, contrast, or damage. The full troubleshooting guide covers those. For the size-vs-distance rule, see the print size guide.