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vCard QR code: save a contact by scanning

Business cards end up in drawers, typed-in numbers in the void. A vCard QR code on your card lets people add you to their address book with one scan – name, company, phone, email and address. Here is what belongs in the code and how to keep it readable on a small card.

The short version

1. In the QR Code Generator, choose Contact.
2. Enter name, company, mobile number (with country code), email and website.
3. Only the essential fields – every field makes the code denser.
4. Send it to the print shop as SVG or PDF, at least 2.5 cm wide.

What is a vCard QR code?

A vCard is the standard format for electronic business cards – the same format Outlook, Gmail and the iPhone address book use to exchange contacts. When a vCard is stored in a QR code, the phone camera recognizes a contact and offers to save it. No typing, no typos in the email address.

The generator writes vCards in version 3.0, which iPhones and Android phones read reliably – including accents and special characters.

Step by step

1. Choose the type. In the QR Code Generator, click Contact.
2. Name and company. Enter first and last name separately so the address book sorts correctly.
3. Phone. Use the international format, e.g. +44 7700 … instead of 07700 … – so the number also works on your international contacts’ phones.
4. Email and website. You can leave out “https://” for the website.
5. Address and note are folded away under “Address and note” – only fill them in if you really need them.
6. Design and check. Pick colors that match your card, optionally add a logo, and watch the readability check.
7. Test. Scan once with your own phone and check that every field ends up in the right place.

Less is more: which fields?

Unlike a link, a vCard code stores all of its content in the pattern. More fields mean more modules – and the larger the code has to be printed for a camera to resolve it.

The generator shows the exact size of your code below the preview (“Version” and “modules”). A profile photo does not fit into any QR code, by the way – only services with online profile pages offer that (see below).

Printing it on a business card

• Format: give the print shop SVG or PDF – both are vector and never blurry.
• Size: 2.5–3 cm per side fits on the back of a standard card (85 × 55 mm or 3.5 × 2 in).
• Margin: leave free space around the code; don’t put text or the card edge right next to it.
• Material: matte surfaces scan better than high gloss or foil finishes that reflect light.
• Color: dark pattern on a light background. On dark cards, place the code on a light patch.

Static or “dynamic”?

Many services advertise “dynamic vCards”: the QR code only contains a link to a profile page hosted by the provider, where the photo and details live. That has advantages (editable, photo possible), but a catch: when the subscription ends, the printed code stops working. Your contact details also sit on someone else’s server, and every scan is logged there.

The code from this generator is static: the data is stored in the pattern itself, with no server in between and no expiry. If your details change, create a new code – which usually happens together with new business cards anyway.

Frequently asked questions