How to put a QR code on your business card

Most business cards end up in a drawer, and the details never reach the recipient's phone. A QR code containing a vCard, the standard contact-card format, fixes that: the person scans it, their phone offers to add a new contact, and your name, number and email are saved without any typing.

vCard or a link?

• vCard QR code: the contact details are inside the code itself. It works offline, needs no website and never expires. But you cannot change the details after printing.
• Link QR code: points to a web page, such as your profile or website. Easy to update, but it depends on the page staying online, and saving the contact takes extra steps.

For a business card, a vCard is usually the better choice: saving the contact is exactly what you want people to do.

Make the code step by step

1. Open the Wi-Fi and vCard QR Code Generator and choose Contact.
2. Fill in the fields you want: first and last name, organisation, job title, mobile, work phone, email, website and address.
3. Keep the code colour dark and the background light.
4. Download it and scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone to check the contact preview.

The details are encoded in your browser; they are not stored on any server.

Fewer fields, better scanning

Every field adds data, and more data means a denser code with smaller squares. On a business card, where the code may be only 2 cm wide, a dense code becomes hard to scan. Include what people actually need: name, company, title, one phone number, email and website. Leave the full street address out unless visitors really come to you.

Size and placement

• Print the code at least 2 cm (about 0.8 inch) wide, larger if it contains many fields. See QR code print sizes.
• Keep a clear margin around it; do not let card text or borders touch the code.
• The back of the card is a good place, with a short label such as “Scan to save my details”.
• Avoid glossy or textured finishes over the code, which can cause reflections.

Check the details

Scan the final proof, open the contact preview and check every field. Phone numbers should include the country code, such as +44 or +1, so they work for contacts abroad. An email typo printed on 500 cards is an expensive mistake.

Other uses

• Conference badges and name tags.
• Email signatures, as an image beside your text details.
• Shop counters, so customers can save the business number.

To link to a profile instead, use the QR Code Generator with a link. For Wi-Fi cards for an office or venue, see how to make a Wi-Fi QR code.