What is QR Code Minimum Size? QR Code Facts to Know

QR codes are ubiquitous. One of the most popular barcode types, QR codes, are used in various industries. A 2-dimensional barcode, QR code, was invented by Masahiro Hara from Denso Wave, a Japanese automotive company, in 1994. QR codes can contain a large variety of information and can be scanned with a QR code scanner or 2D barcode reader. A QR code can store up to 4296 characters or 7089 numbers, equivalent to 1,817 Kanjis or 2953 bytes. The more data it fits, the bigger its size becomes. But, how small can it be? What is the QR code minimum size? This blog will cover these questions along with some interesting facts related to QR Codes. 

Exciting QR Code Facts 

Before we find the QR code minimum size, let’s go through some exciting QR code facts. 

• Let’s start with the history and invention of QR codes. With a team of two, Masahiro Hara developed QR codes to store and process large amounts of data to track vehicles and their parts. The aim was to design a code that is faster to be scanned and more robust than the other barcode types. 

• Initially, the QR code was developed for the manufacturing industry, but gradually it became an open-source technology as it did not have a patent. Today, QR codes are omnipresent in almost every industry, right from hospitality to banking. 

• Not all types of barcode scanners can scan QR codes. For example, a linear barcode scanner can’t read a QR code. You need a 2D barcode reader to read and decode QR codes. 

• You might see QR codes as black and white pixels, but they are more than that. In fact, QR codes don’t necessarily have to be black and white. The structure of a QR code allows it to be read and decoded by a QR code scanner. 

• While speaking about QR code minimum size, you’ll be surprised to know that Audi created the largest QR code. The size of the QR code was 159 square meters. 

• Some countries have been using QR codes to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. One example is the identification of the health status of individuals and tracking their movement using QR codes. 

• The popularity of QR codes grew with the increasing use of mobile phones. Other essential factors include fast scanning and the ability to be read even when a code is incomplete or broken. 

What is QR Code Minimum Size?

The size of a QR code increases with the amount of data stored in it. On the other hand, the QR code minimum size is 2 x 2 cm, or 76 x 76 px. 1 centimeter is nearly equivalent to 38 pixels. There are micro QR codes too, which were also developed by Denso Wave. The size of a micro QR code ranges from 11 x 11 modules to 17 x 17 modules. 

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