The short answer
A QR code can have a logo in the middle and still scan, because the code is built with spare data that lets a reader recover what the logo covers. The rules: set error correction to the highest level, keep the logo under about a quarter of the code's area, keep it out of the three large corner squares, and give it a plain background. HueQR's free generator does the first part for you the moment you add a logo.
Why a logo does not break the code
QR codes carry extra data for error correction. There are four levels: L recovers about 7 percent of damage, M about 15, Q about 25, and H about 30. A logo is just damage the reader knows how to work around, as long as it covers less than the level allows. Keep a margin: a logo at 20 percent on level H leaves room for a scratch, glare, or a slightly blurry camera.
The trade-off is size. Higher error correction means more squares, so the code gets denser. That is fine for a sticker or a screen. For a tiny print, drop the logo instead.
Where the logo can and cannot go
The three big squares in the corners are the finder patterns. A camera uses them to find the code and work out its angle. Cover one and nothing scans, whatever the error correction level. The same goes for the thin lines running between them. The safe spot is the centre, which is where every generator puts it.
Doing it in the free generator
In the design studio under Make it yours:
- Upload a PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG. A simple mark reads better than a wordmark at small sizes.
- Pick the size. HueQR allows 12 to 34 percent of the code's width. Around 20 looks right and stays safe.
- Keep the knockout on. It clears the squares behind the logo so the logo sits on a clean patch instead of fighting the pattern.
- Leave error correction on Auto. With a logo on, HueQR switches to level H automatically. If you set it to a lower level by hand, the scan meter will tell you.
Check it scans before you print
The generator scans the preview in your browser as you design and shows a green, amber or red meter. Green means it decoded at several sizes. Amber means it decoded only when large. Red means it did not decode. Fix red before you print, every time. Then scan the downloaded file with two different phones, because a preview on a bright screen is the easiest possible case.
Logos and colour
A logo in the same dark colour as the squares can look like a blob of pattern to a camera. A coloured logo on a light knockout is safer. If your brand colour is light, like yellow or pale orange, use it for the background or the frame and keep the squares dark. Contrast between squares and background is the thing that cannot bend.
Questions
Up to about 30 percent of the area at the highest error correction, but 20 to 25 percent leaves a safety margin for real-world printing. HueQR caps the logo at 34 percent of the width.
Next step
Add your logo for free
Upload a logo, watch the scan meter, download a PNG with no sign-up.
Add your logo for free