Customizing a QR code: colors, eye style, dots, and logo
Full reference for the Customize QR panel — colors, dot and eye styles, error correction, border, and logo overlay.
Overview
Every Smart Link has a Customize QR button on the editor. This opens a panel where you can control the rendered QR image's look. This article walks through each control and flags the settings that affect scan reliability.
Foreground and background color
Set Color (foreground) and Background Color. For reliable scanning:
- Keep the foreground darker than the background.
- Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4:1 (same guidance as WCAG text contrast). Black-on-white is always safe; colored-on-white is usually safe if the color is dark enough.
- Avoid inverted (light-on-dark) QR codes — many older scanner apps fail on them. If you must use a dark background, test-scan on older Android devices before printing at scale.
Dot style
QR Dots Style controls the shape of the data modules. Options include Square (maximum compatibility) and rounded variants. Rounded dots look softer but at high density can make scanning slightly harder. Stick with Square for QR codes that will be printed small or scanned under non-ideal lighting.
Eye style and eye colors
The eyes are the three square markers in the corners that help scanners orient the code. Control them with:
- QR Eye Style — shape of the eye (Square, rounded).
- Eye Color Inner / Eye Color Outer — separate colors for the inner square and the outer ring.
Eyes have more visual weight than any individual module, so colored eyes are a high-impact way to add brand color without compromising scan reliability. Keep eyes dark or at least match the data color's contrast against the background.
Error correction level
QR codes include redundant data so partial damage or occlusion doesn't break scanning. Error Correction Level trades redundancy for density:
- L (Low) — ~7% recovery. Fewest modules at a given data size, largest modules at a given print size.
- M (Medium) — ~15% recovery.
- Q (Quartile) — ~25% recovery.
- H (High) — ~30% recovery. Required when overlaying a logo > ~15% of code area.
Higher levels mean more modules, which at fixed print size means smaller per-module squares. If you're printing very small (<2 cm across), lean toward Low and skip the logo. If you're printing large and want a logo, lean toward High.
Border spacing
The Border Spacing slider (0–10) controls the white quiet zone around the code. QR specification mandates a quiet zone of at least 4 modules, which is the default. Reduce only if you know your scanner app handles it.
Logo overlay
Click Add your logo or drag-and-drop a PNG up to 10 MB. Rules of thumb:
- Centered placement only.
- Keep the logo < 20% of total code area. Pair with Quartile or High error correction.
- Strongly prefer a solid-fill logo with no holes. Transparent cutouts that leave QR modules half-visible cause scan failures.
- Test-scan after uploading. SiteDetour previews the composite image live.
AI QR Code Art
For stylized, image-based QR codes (the code is baked into a scene/illustration), use Generate AI QR Code Art instead of the customization panel. See Generating AI QR Code Art.
Saving and re-downloading
Click Save in the customization panel to persist the appearance. The next download (PNG/SVG/PDF) reflects the new styles. Previously downloaded files stay valid for scanning because the underlying encoded URL doesn't change — customization is purely visual.
Next steps
