How to export a QR code for printing
Export the QR code as a PNG in QRGen, then place it at the intended physical size in your page layout. Leave a clear border at least four modules wide on every side of the symbol. Print a proof at the planned size and scan it with the device and at the distance people will use before you print the batch.
Export an image your layout tool can use
Start with an unframed code for the handout. QRGen provides PNG export in multiple pixel sizes. Choose an available PNG size that your layout tool can place without enlarging a small preview. Keep that export as a separate source file so you can replace a cropped or resized placement without rebuilding the code.
Pixel dimensions describe the image file. Physical dimensions describe the space it takes up on paper. For example, you might allocate a 40 mm square on a museum handout and place the image there. You can use the same file at a different width elsewhere, but each placement needs its own proof. The example width is a layout choice, not a minimum scan size.
Place the symbol and its clear border together
Set the width and height in the layout tool while preserving the image’s proportions. Check that the image box does not crop the symbol or clip its surrounding space. DENSO WAVE specifies a clear margin four modules wide on all sides; one module is a single small square in the symbol grid. Keep captions, photos and borders outside that area. If the export leaves too little clear space, reserve the missing space on the page around the symbol.
For a geometry example, a symbol 29 modules wide needs 37 module widths across after adding four on each side. If that entire square is placed at 37 mm, each clear edge is 4 mm. If it is placed at half that width, each edge is 2 mm. These numbers show how the border scales, not how small your particular code can be printed.
- Place the uncropped PNG and keep its proportions.
- Inspect the light area around all four edges in the final layout.
- Keep nearby text and artwork out of that clear margin.
- Measure the printed proof to catch unexpected page scaling.
Test the physical proof at its planned size
Print one copy using the planned layout and measure the code area on the paper. If the width differs from the layout, inspect the print scaling before blaming the QR file. Look for cut edges, soft details or artwork intruding on the quiet zone.
With the proof in its intended position, scan it using a device people are likely to use. On iPhone or iPad, Apple documents Camera and Code Scanner for this task. For the museum example, confirm the result opens the intended public exhibit page. A preview on your monitor cannot show the effects of the actual paper, print settings or lighting.
Change the layout before printing the batch
If the proof does not scan at the planned distance, first check the measured size and clear border. Replace a clipped placement with the original image. If you need more room, try a larger placement and make another proof under the same conditions. Avoid changing several variables together if you want to understand what helped.
For a print-shop handoff, prepare the page file in your layout tool and ask for a proof from the intended print process. Send the final page with its intended dimensions. Retain the QRGen PNG in case you need to adjust the placement.
Questions
Does a bigger PNG automatically print at a bigger size?
No. The file has pixel dimensions, while the layout and print settings determine the physical size. Measure a proof to verify the result.
Can I trim the blank space around the code?
Preserve a clear margin at least four modules wide on all sides of the symbol in the final layout. Check the margin after placement and printing.
Is a successful scan from the screen enough?
It checks that presentation. Scan the printed proof at the planned size and distance and confirm it opens the intended destination.