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QR Code Generator — Complete Feature Guide

Last updated: April 2026

This guide covers every feature of the BatchPrintGTIN QR code generator — from choosing a content type and entering your data, to customising dot patterns, eye styles, colours, gradients, logo overlays, decorative frames, and batch generating entire campaigns from a CSV file. Each setting is explained with the context needed to make an informed choice — including when to use each option, what trade-offs it involves, and how it affects scannability.

Step 1 — Choose a Content Type

The content type selector at the top of the form determines what kind of data your QR code encodes and which input fields appear. The QR code specification itself is format-agnostic — a QR code is simply an encoded string of text. The content types are structured templates that format your input into the correct string for the intended function, so the recipient's phone handles it correctly when scanned.

WiFi, vCard, and URL are the three most commonly used types for small businesses. WiFi encodes your network credentials directly in the code — the password is embedded in the QR data, not displayed as plain text, though anyone scanning can extract it from the code data. vCard encodes full contact details that save directly to the phone's contacts app without requiring a web connection. For marketing and product use, URL is the most flexible — it can be updated by changing the destination page without reprinting the QR code.

Step 2 — Dot Pattern (Module Shape)

The dot pattern controls the shape of the individual modules (the small squares that make up the body of the QR code). All five patterns produce fully scannable QR codes, but some patterns reduce the effective scan contrast more than others, which affects the recommended error correction level.

Non-square patterns (Dots, Diamond, Star) reduce the visible contrast of the QR code modules because the inter-module spacing allows more background to show through. This is why higher error correction is recommended for these patterns — the additional redundancy compensates for the reduced contrast. Always scan-test non-square pattern QR codes at the smallest intended print size before distributing.

Step 3 — Corner Eye Style

The three finder pattern squares in the corners of a QR code — commonly called "eyes" — can be styled independently of the dot pattern. The eye style is one of the most visible design elements when a person looks at a QR code, and selecting a style that matches your brand can make the code feel intentional rather than generic.

• Square: The standard — sharp corners, professional, maximum scanner compatibility. Use when in doubt.
• Rounded: Soft corners on the outer square only. Pairs well with Rounded or Dots dot patterns. Softer, more approachable appearance without sacrificing scan reliability.
• Circle: Fully circular finder patterns. Distinctive modern look. Best paired with Dots pattern for a cohesive contemporary aesthetic.
• Leaf: Organic leaf-shaped eyes. Use for natural brands, eco products, or wellness identities where the leaf shape reinforces the brand concept.

Step 4 — Error Correction Level

Error correction is the QR code specification's ability to recover and correctly decode a code even when part of it is physically obscured, damaged, or covered. The specification defines four levels, each providing increasing recovery capacity at the cost of a more complex (larger or denser) code for the same data.

Step 5 — Colours and Gradient

The Foreground colour sets the colour of the QR code modules. The Background colour sets the fill behind them. Both fields accept any six-digit hex colour code. The fundamental rule for scannable QR codes is high contrast — the scanner needs to distinguish dark modules from a light background. The minimum acceptable contrast ratio is approximately 4:1 (foreground luminance to background luminance). Very light grey on white, or dark green on dark blue, will fail at most scanners.

To apply a gradient to the modules, enable the Gradient Foreground toggle, choose a second foreground colour, and select a direction (left-to-right, top-to-bottom, or radial from centre). The gradient is applied across all modules. Radial gradient from a light centre to a dark edge is a common design technique for QR codes — it creates visual depth while maintaining adequate contrast at the edges where the finder patterns are located.

Transparent Background removes the background fill from the PNG output — useful for placing QR codes over coloured packaging artwork. As with transparent barcode backgrounds, ensure the artwork area beneath the code is uniformly light so contrast with the module colour is maintained across the whole code area.

Step 6 — Logo and Watermark Overlay

Upload a PNG, JPG, or SVG file to place a logo in the centre of the QR code. The logo position is fixed at the centre — this is where the QR code's error correction region is most tolerant of data loss, which is why central logo placement is the universal convention. Key settings:

• Size: Controls the logo width as a percentage of the total QR code width. Keep under 30% to preserve scannability. The default is 20%, which works for most logos. Going above 30% risks obscuring too many modules for even H-level error correction to recover.
• Logo Opacity: Reduces transparency for a subtle watermark effect. 100% is fully opaque (standard logo). Values below 60% produce a ghost-like overlay that may look elegant in design but can reduce scan contrast — always test at low opacity values.
• Error Correction: Must be H (30%) for any logo overlay. Set automatically on upload — do not change after adding a logo.

For the best visual result, use a logo with a transparent background (PNG with alpha channel) so the QR module colours show through the logo's non-brand areas rather than a rectangular white box appearing in the centre. Square or circular logo crops integrate more cleanly than logos with irregular outlines.

Step 7 — Background Image

A background image can be placed behind the QR modules. Use the Image Opacity slider to reduce the background image opacity so that the dark modules remain clearly distinguishable over the image. Error correction is automatically set to H when a background image is applied. This is a creative tool — always scan-test the final output on both iOS and Android cameras before printing, as the readable contrast threshold varies between scanner algorithms.

Step 8 — Frame and Label

A decorative frame adds a call-to-action bar around the QR code — typically below the code with text inside. The Frame Text field takes a short string (common examples: "Scan to view menu", "Scan for WiFi", "Scan to order"). Frame Color sets the background of the bar and Text Color sets the text — ensure sufficient contrast between these two. Frames are particularly effective for QR codes placed on surfaces where the user's intention is unclear, such as product packaging inserts, where a label like "Scan for assembly instructions" removes ambiguity.

The separate Label Text field (in the Style column below the eye style options) adds a line of plain text printed below the QR code image. This is ideal for adding a secondary call-to-action or a human-readable URL fallback for users who cannot scan. The label is embedded into the downloaded file and is part of the QR code image, not a separate element.

URL Auto-Shortener

When the URL content type is selected, an Auto-Shorten URLs toggle appears below the URL input. When on, it performs several optimisations to the URL before encoding — entirely in your browser with no external service involved: it removes UTM tracking parameters, gclid, fbclid, and other tracking strings; strips the www. subdomain (the URL still resolves correctly without it); normalises the path (removes trailing slashes, collapses double slashes); and if the resulting URL contains only QR alphanumeric-safe characters, uppercases it to allow the QR encoder to use the denser alphanumeric mode.

The practical effect: shorter, simpler URLs produce less complex QR codes — fewer modules, more reliable scanning at smaller print sizes, and better readability under low-contrast conditions. A live hint below the URL field shows exactly how many characters were saved and whether alphanumeric mode was activated. Turn the toggle off if you need to encode the URL exactly as entered, including all tracking parameters.

Output Resolution and Print Sizing

The QR Size slider in the Style column sets the base canvas size in pixels (range: 120px to 600px, default 280px). This is the internal rendering resolution — not the physical print size. A higher base size gives finer detail in logos, gradients, and custom dot patterns. The Resolution multiplier chips (1×, 2×, 4×, 8×, 12×) apply on top of this at download time only and do not affect the live preview.

The 10× rule is a practical sizing guideline: the maximum reliable scanning distance should be no more than 10 times the physical width of the code. A 3cm code scans reliably from up to 30cm. A 10cm code reaches 1 metre. Modern phone cameras often exceed this ratio, but use it as a conservative minimum when sizing codes for environments where scanning distance is unpredictable.

Batch QR Code Generation

The Batch tab generates hundreds of QR codes at once from a CSV file. Switch the Default Output Type dropdown to QR Codes to activate QR-specific settings. All styling options — dot pattern, eye style, colours, gradient, logo overlay, background image, frames — apply uniformly to the entire batch. Per-row type override is supported: add a type column with the value qr for QR rows and a barcode format code (such as upc or CODE128) for barcode rows, allowing a single CSV to produce a mixed batch of QR codes and barcodes in one operation.

For marketing campaigns where each code has a unique URL but identical branding, the batch generator is the most efficient workflow. Prepare your URL list in a spreadsheet, add a label column with the placement name for each code (e.g. "Window", "Receipt", "Flyer"), export as CSV, upload to the batch generator, and download all codes as a ZIP or formatted PDF label sheet in one step.

Frequently Asked Questions

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