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When to download PNG vs SVG
Download PNG when you will drop the code into a chat, slide, or home printer. Download SVG when a designer or a print shop will scale it — a poster, a vinyl sticker, or a logo file.
Both files are made in your browser. The live preview already uses the colors, size, and spacing you set, so you can judge the scan before you save.
How to pick a file and settings
Step 1
Set colors with contrast in mind
Keep dark squares on a light background. The generator warns you when contrast is too low. Light-on-dark codes often fail on phones.
Step 2
Size the PNG for how it will be used
256–512 px is enough for a phone screen or a small sticker. Move toward 768–1024 px for a flyer or a slide that will be projected.
Step 3
Leave space around the code
Keep a quiet margin so the camera can find the edges. The Space around the code slider adds that border. Do not crop it off in another app.
Step 4
Choose scan reliability, then download
Medium is the usual starting point. Step up to High if the print might get scuffed. Highest makes a denser pattern — useful on damaged signs, cramped on a tiny sticker. Then save PNG or SVG.
PNG vs SVG in practice
PNG is a picture at the pixel size you chose. It opens everywhere: Messages, WhatsApp, Word, and a basic printer. If you stretch a small PNG, the squares go soft.
SVG is the pattern as shapes. It stays crisp at a business-card size or a window decal. Use it in design tools, then export a print PDF. If a chat app will not accept SVG, send the PNG instead.
Space, color, and damaged prints
A little empty space around the code matters as much as size. Crowding a code against a busy photo or a dark table edge is a common reason scans fail.
If you add a logo later, leave the three large corner squares alone and raise scan reliability so a bit of damage or overlay still reads. Test with a phone in ordinary room light before you order a print run.
FAQ
Should I always download SVG?
No. SVG is best when you will scale the file. PNG is the everyday choice for messages, slides, and a home printer.
How large should the PNG be?
Start around 512 px for screens. Use a larger size for paper or a projector. Tiny prints scan more reliably when the code itself is not packed with a long message.
What is the space around the code for?
It is a quiet border so cameras can see where the pattern starts. Leave it on, and do not crop it away after you download.
When should I raise scan reliability?
Use High or Highest if the print might get scratched, folded, or partly covered. Medium is enough for a clean screen or a fresh print.
Related guides
Codes stay in this browser. Open the generator · Privacy