QR codes
How to generate a QR code with a logo for free
A logo in the middle of a QR code makes it recognizable and trusted. With high error correction and a small overlay, the code still scans reliably.
Document summary
A practical guide to adding a logo to a QR code with the QR code generator and the image watermark tool: error correction, logo sizing, and the testing rules that keep codes scannable.
Key takeaways
- High error correction gives the code room to tolerate a logo in the center.
- Keep the logo under about 25 percent of the code width.
- The workflow is fully local: generate, overlay, download.
- Always test the finished code by scanning it.
Why a logo can live inside a QR code
QR codes carry data with a built-in safety margin called error correction. The highest level, H, restores up to 30 percent of a damaged code, which is exactly the budget a logo spends. The three corner squares (finder patterns) must stay clear, but the center of the code can tolerate a small overlay.
The practical result: generate the code at error correction level H with a quiet margin, then place a small logo in the center. Scanners read the remaining data around it.
Generate the base QR code
The QR code generator lets you choose the error correction level and output size, which are the two settings that matter for a logo version.
- 1
Open the QR code generator and enter your URL or text.
- 2
Set error correction to high (H) so the code can tolerate the logo.
- 3
Choose a generous margin, the quiet zone around the code.
- 4
Generate and download the code as a PNG at a large size, for example 1024 pixels.
Overlay the logo locally
The image watermark tool places your logo onto the QR image in the browser. Use a square logo with some padding around it, sized at roughly 20 to 25 percent of the code width.
- 1
Open the image watermark tool and load the QR code image.
- 2
Load the logo as the watermark, centered on the QR image.
- 3
Scale the logo to about one fifth of the code width.
- 4
If the logo has a solid background, use a rounded or transparent PNG so it blends.
- 5
Export the combined image as PNG to avoid compression artifacts.
The testing rules that keep codes scannable
A logo QR code that fails to scan is worse than no logo at all. Test the final image the way real users will meet it: printed, at a distance, and in moderate light.
- Scan the exported file from your phone screen first, then a printed copy.
- Test from a realistic distance, not from 5 cm away.
- If scanning fails, shrink the logo or raise the margin and regenerate.
- Never cover the three corner finder squares.
- Keep the code on a plain, light background for maximum contrast.
Everything is generated on your device
The QR code and the logo overlay are produced entirely in your browser. Your URL, text, and logo image are never uploaded, so you can brand codes for internal campaigns without sending the artwork anywhere.
Open toolFrequently asked questions
How big can the logo be without breaking the code?
About 20 to 25 percent of the code width is the safe zone at high error correction. Larger logos start to consume the data area and make scanning unreliable, especially from a distance or on printed labels.
Which error correction level should I use?
Level H (high, about 30 percent) gives the logo room to fit. Some generators label it differently, but any option around 30 percent recovery works. Lower levels such as L or M leave little budget for an overlay.
Why does my logo QR code fail to scan?
The usual causes are a logo that is too large, a code with too much data, missing quiet margins, or a dark background. Shrink the logo, shorten the payload, and test the printed version at a realistic distance.
Do I need design software to add the logo?
No. The image watermark tool overlays the logo in your browser with no installation. A transparent PNG logo gives the cleanest result, but any square image works.
