Use SVG for anything you print. SVG is a vector format, so the code stays sharp at any size and any DPI — business card or billboard. Use PNG for screens: websites, social posts, email signatures, and documents. Export PNG at 1024px or larger. If a printer refuses SVG, send a 4096px PNG instead.
Qranite exports both formats free — true vector SVG and PNG up to 4096px. Generate a code and download either. No signup, no watermark.
What is the difference between SVG and PNG?
SVG is a vector format. The file stores shapes as math: draw a square here, this big, this color. A printer or screen redraws those shapes at whatever size you ask. PNG is a raster format. The file stores a fixed grid of pixels. Enlarge it past its native size and the edges blur.
For QR codes the distinction matters more than usual. A QR code is pure geometry — dark squares on a light field. Blurry edges are a leading reason printed codes fail to scan. Vector edges never blur.
One more rule. Never save a QR code as JPG. JPG compression smears the sharp transitions between modules. PNG and SVG are both lossless.
Why is SVG the best format for printing?
An SVG prints crisp at any size and any DPI. The same file works on a 25 mm business card and a 3 m banner. No re-exporting, no resolution math.
- Infinite scaling. Vectors have no native resolution, so there is nothing to outgrow.
- Editable in design tools. Illustrator, Inkscape, Affinity, and Figma open SVG directly. Recolor modules or convert to CMYK for press.
- Cricut and laser friendly. Cutting machines and engravers take SVG paths natively. Vinyl decals, etched glass, engraved wood.
- Small files. A QR code SVG is usually a few kilobytes. The 4096px PNG of the same code is many times larger.
- Print shops prefer it. Vector art is what professional printers ask for in the first place.
When should you use PNG instead?
Use PNG anywhere the code lives on a screen: websites, slide decks, PDFs, Word and Google Docs, email signatures, and every social platform. Screens are pixel grids, so a raster file is native there. Many tools also refuse SVG outright — most email clients block it for security, and Instagram, Word, and Google Docs will not place one.
Size it generously. Download at 1024px or larger; scaling down loses nothing and storage is cheap. If a print job demands a raster file, send 4096px. At 300 DPI that prints sharp to about 34 cm (13.5 in), and large-format work viewed from a distance needs far less.
Which format for which use case?
The short version, by destination.
| Use case | Format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | SVG | Print shops scale it to 2-3 cm with zero blur. |
| T-shirt or merch | SVG | Screen printers and Cricut machines want vector paths. |
| Billboard or banner | SVG, or 4096px PNG | Vectors survive any enlargement. Distant viewers forgive lower DPI. |
| Flyer or poster | SVG | Crisp at 300+ DPI with no resolution math. |
| Email signature | PNG | Most email clients block SVG entirely. |
| Instagram story | PNG, 1024px+ | Instagram rasterizes everything anyway. |
| Website or document | PNG, or inline SVG | PNG places everywhere; inline SVG stays sharp on retina screens. |
What about transparent backgrounds?
PNG supports transparency, and an SVG can simply omit its background. A transparent code drops cleanly onto a colored invitation, a menu, or a branded template. Wedding invitations and restaurant menus are the classic cases.
Two cautions. Scanners read contrast, so dark modules need a light, plain area behind them — a transparent code placed over a busy photo will fail. And keep the quiet zone: a clear margin around the code at least four modules wide. If a placed code stops scanning, the background is the usual suspect. More in why did my QR code stop working.
How big does a printed QR code need to be?
About 2 x 2 cm (0.8 in) minimum for codes scanned at arm's length. A useful rule: code width should be at least one tenth of the scanning distance. A code scanned from 3 m should be 30 cm wide.
For raster files, divide pixels by DPI to get inches. A 1024px PNG at the 300 DPI print standard is 3.4 inches wide — fine for flyers, tight for posters. A 4096px PNG covers 13.6 inches at 300 DPI, or 27 inches at a still-respectable 150 DPI. An SVG skips the arithmetic entirely.
Does the file format change whether the code scans?
No. SVG and PNG encode the same module pattern; the format affects sharpness, not the data. A static QR code is just an image of data — it works forever, from any generator, in any format. What can stop working is the redirect link inside a dynamic code, which is a service question, not a file question. The difference is covered in static vs dynamic QR codes and do QR codes expire.
Qranite generates both formats in your browser. Your data never reaches our servers, which is why nothing we host can expire on you. Make a code, download the SVG and the PNG, and keep both.