A QR code on a flyer turns a piece of paper into a link: a menu, a sign-up form, an event page, a booking calendar. But a code squeezed into a random corner, too small, or crossing a fold, often gets ignored or won't scan. This guide covers where to place a QR code on a flyer so it's easy to spot and easy to scan, plus the size, spacing and wording that go with it.
The sizes and layouts below are practical starting points. Every flyer, printer and audience is a little different, so always test a printed copy before you print in bulk.
The short answer
- Bottom-right or lower third works for most flyers. People read the headline, scan the details and look for the next step at the end.
- Pair it with a call to action like "Scan to book" right next to the code.
- Keep it clear of edges, trims and folds. Leave a safe margin and the code's own quiet zone.
- Size it for distance. About one tenth of the scanning distance is a common rule of thumb.
- Don't put it on a busy photo. Dark modules on a plain, light background scan best.
- Test the printed proof with a couple of different phones.
Make a free QR code for a link, WiFi or contact card — generated in your browser.
Open the free QR code generator →Why the bottom-right usually works
Most flyers have a natural reading order: a big headline at the top, an image or key message in the middle, details below. By the time a reader reaches the bottom, they've decided whether they're interested, and that's exactly when they look for what to do next. A QR code in the lower third, often the bottom-right corner, meets them at that moment.
The bottom-right isn't a rule. If your layout puts the action somewhere else, put the code there. The principle is simple: place the code where the reader finishes reading and is ready to act, next to the offer it delivers.
Good placements by flyer type
| Flyer type | Recommended placement | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single-page handout | Bottom-right or bottom-center, beside the offer or date | Readers hold it close and finish at the bottom |
| Posted on a wall or noticeboard | Middle-to-lower area at roughly chest height once posted, larger size | Codes near the very bottom of a low-hung flyer are awkward to scan |
| Tri-fold brochure | Back panel or the inside panel with the main offer, never across a fold | Folds distort the code and wear quickly |
| Bi-fold or folded flyer | Fully inside one panel, away from the crease | Same reason as above |
| Door hanger | Lower half of the front, or on the back with the offer | The top is the die-cut hole and handling area |
| Two-sided flyer | On the side with the call to action, usually the back | Repeating the code on both sides is fine if space allows |
Posted flyers need a bigger code
A flyer on a café noticeboard or a lamppost gets scanned from farther away than one held in a hand. Scanning distance drives size: a widely used guideline is a code width of about one tenth of the scanning distance. Illustrative examples:
- Handheld flyer scanned from about 25–30 cm (10–12 in): about 2.5–3 cm (1–1.2 in) wide is a comfortable size.
- Posted flyer scanned from about 1 m (3 ft): about 10 cm (4 in) wide.
Our guide to QR code size for print and the QR code size guide cover this in more detail, and minimum QR code size explains how small you can safely go.
Keep it clear of edges, trims and folds
Two kinds of space matter.
- The quiet zone. This is the blank margin around the code itself, usually recommended at about four modules wide. Text, borders and images shouldn't intrude into it. Our quiet zone guide explains how to measure it.
- The print safe area. Printers trim flyers after printing, and the cut can drift slightly. Keep the code (and its quiet zone) comfortably inside your printer's safe margin, not tight against the edge.
Never put a QR code across a fold. A crease bends the pattern, and folds are the first part of a flyer to wear out.