QR codes: generate, print, place

Your QR code is the bridge between physical packaging and your digital manual. Get it printed correctly the first time and it'll work for the lifetime of your product. Here's everything your packaging printer needs.

1. Choose your download format

From any manual's QR tab, download in three formats:

• PNG — best for digital uses: welcome emails, Instagram posts, in-store kiosk displays.
• SVG — vector format that scales to any size without quality loss. Use this if your packaging printer asks for AI, EPS, or vector files.
• Print-ready PDF — includes bleed marks and crop registration. What most professional packaging printers want.

2. Pick the right physical size

Minimum recommended size: 2 cm × 2 cm (about 0.8 inches). Below that, low-end phone cameras struggle to scan reliably from arm's length.

• 2 cm × 2 cm — works for indoor scanning at a table
• 3 cm × 3 cm — works at arm's length on small packaging
• 5 cm × 5 cm — works from across a room (good for in-store displays)

3. Where to place on packaging

Three placements work well, in order of cost:

• Welcome card inside the box (best) — first thing the customer sees on unboxing. Stand-alone card costs about $0.10 per unit and creates a moment.
• Sticker on the inside of the box flap — cheaper alternative, slightly less prominent.
• Printed directly on the box — only worth it for high-volume runs (1,000+) where the marginal print cost is zero.

4. What to put around the QR

The QR alone isn't enough — most customers don't know what they're scanning. Include a short headline that sets expectations:

• "Scan for 3-minute setup"
• "Need help? Scan here for video"
• "Your manual lives here →" (with arrow pointing to the QR)

5. Send to your packaging printer

Hand your printer:

• The print-ready PDF (with bleed marks)
• Your card design with the QR placed in final position
• A simple proof note: "Please test scan with at least two phones before final print run"

Most printers will scan-test the proof for free. If yours won't, scan it yourself before approving — it takes 30 seconds and avoids a 1,000-unit reprint.

6. When (and when not) to regenerate the QR

Almost never. The QR is permanent because it points to your manual record, not the file. You can change content, swap videos, redesign the entire manual — the same QR keeps working.