One QR code. Every project size.

SVG vs. PNG vs. JPG

An SVG is not a higher-resolution photograph. Its shapes are redrawn at the requested size rather than enlarged from a fixed pixel grid. MDN explains how SVG scales.

How to export an SVG with ScreenCode Pro

1. Choose what the code does. Open the QR code creator and select a website, contact, email, calendar event or Wi-Fi code.
2. Check the information. Proofread the destination and contact fields. Remove optional details you do not need; more information can make the pattern denser.
3. Choose the starting size and style. Review the preview and print-health indicator. The starting dimensions help you design the code; SVG artwork can be resized later in your layout.
4. Sign in with Pro and export SVG. Keep this original file as your master rather than taking a screenshot of the preview.
5. Place it in your project. Import the SVG into software that supports it and scale width and height together. Keep the full white border.
6. Test the final output. Check the exported document, printed proof or finished video, not just the original SVG.

Scaling stays sharp. Scanning still needs space.

A crisp code can still be too small to scan from where people will stand. The amount of information, viewing distance, contrast and final surface all affect the result. Use our QR code print-size guide for physical sizing and pixel calculations when a workflow needs raster output.

ScreenCode includes the four-module blank border required around a standard QR code. Keep that border clear of text, trim lines and neighboring artwork; DENSO WAVE documents this quiet-zone requirement.

The SVG export contains a white background. Preserve it when placing the code over a photograph or colored design, and avoid stretching, skewing or cutting through the pattern.

Professional projects and how to prepare them

• Media of all types: keep the SVG master, then deliver the format and dimensions your publisher requests.
• Promotional materials: put contact details, website links or email codes on flyers, brochures and giveaways. For scan-to-add contacts, see the business-card guide.
• Yard and realtor signs: allow enough space for scanning from the intended viewing position. Check the finished material outdoors, including glare and shadows.
• Billboards: establish a realistic viewing distance and a place where the audience can safely stop to scan. Large artwork alone does not guarantee that a distant phone can read it.
• TV advertisements: place the vector artwork in the video layout, then check the rendered video at its delivery resolution. Keep the code still and visible long enough for viewers to scan; test on a television, not only the editing monitor.
• Vehicle wraps: choose a flat, visible area away from seams, handles and strong curves. Test the applied wrap while the vehicle is parked.
• Trade-show panels: test from the aisle under event lighting and keep the code where displays or people will not routinely cover it.

A worked example: one contact code, two layouts

Suppose a fictional studio needs a contact code on a handout and a trade-show panel. Create the contact code once, verify the details and export the SVG with Pro. Place the same master in each layout, scaling it proportionally while retaining its border.

Test the handout at its final printed size, then test a proof of the panel from the intended aisle distance. If the panel fails, increase the code size or simplify the contact record and regenerate it; exporting SVG alone does not solve a dense pattern or poor placement.

Logos, center text and file handoff

The QR modules in ScreenCode's SVG are vectors, but a logo or center overlay may be embedded as a PNG image. That overlay can become soft when enlarged even though the code stays sharp. Inspect it at the final size, or use a code without an overlay for the cleanest scaling.

Send your designer or printer the original SVG and the required final dimensions. Ask which delivery format they need. If they request PDF, export from the layout while preserving vectors; renaming an SVG to .pdf does not convert it. If they require PNG or JPG, render a new image at the final pixel dimensions instead of enlarging an old small export.

Final checks before publishing or printing

1. Confirm the destination, contact details and any prefilled fields are correct.
2. Keep the code square, high contrast and surrounded by its clear border.
3. Scan the final proof with more than one phone, at the expected distance and lighting.
4. For digital artwork, test the delivered image or video after resizing and compression.
5. Keep the source SVG so later layouts do not depend on a screenshot or compressed copy.

Need to inspect a code in an image already on your phone? Follow the screenshot-scanning guide. For a code that still will not read, visit Support.

Common SVG questions

Design your SVG QR code