QR Code With a Logo: How to Add One That Still Scans

Can you put a logo on a QR code?

Yes. A QR code can carry a logo in the center because of built-in error correction, which lets a scanner rebuild the part the logo covers. The rules are simple: keep the logo centered and small (roughly under 30% of the code, and less is safer), keep strong contrast, leave the three corner squares clear, and test it. A logo that is too large removes data the code needs and stops it from scanning.

Add your logo the safe way: design a code at graklink.com.

Why a logo works at all: error correction

Every QR code carries redundant data so it can still be read when part of it is dirty, damaged, or covered. That is error correction, and it comes in four levels. The higher the level, the more of the code can be obscured and still scan.

Error correction level	Roughly recoverable	Logo guidance
L	about 7%	avoid logos
M	about 15%	a tiny mark at most
Q	about 25%	a small logo
H	about 30%	a small-to-modest centered logo

A logo sits on top of the code and relies on this recovery to fill in the gap. That is why a branded code should be generated at level H. The only cost is a slightly denser pattern, so print it a little larger.

How much logo is safe

• Center only. Put the logo in the middle, where the recovery data can cover for it.
• Never cover the corners. The three large squares in the corners are finder patterns. A scanner needs them to locate the code. Keep them clear.
• Under about 30% of the area. Smaller is always safer. If in doubt, shrink it.
• Use level H error correction.
• Keep contrast. The logo should not blur the light-and-dark difference the camera depends on.

Create your branded code and keep your mark small and centered.

Color, style, and the thing that actually breaks branded codes

The most common reason a branded code fails is not the logo, it is color. Scanners read brightness, not hue, so a code and background that look boldly different to you can read as the same gray and disappear. If you use color, keep the code much darker than what sits behind it, and judge the brightness difference, not the palette. The full breakdown, with side-by-side examples, is in why QR codes don’t scan.

The checklist for a logo code that scans

• Logo centered, corners clear.
• Under about 30% of the code area.
• Error correction set to H.
• Strong contrast between code and background.
• Scanned on more than one phone before you print.

At Graklink every styled and logo code is machine-checked to scan before you buy, so you never find out at the printer. And because it is a dynamic code, you can repoint it forever without touching the design. More on that here: static vs dynamic QR codes.

Sources

• Graklink pricing and design testing. Verified against the graklink.com checkout and Graklink’s own scan testing, last checked 2026-07-12.
• QR error correction levels. Levels L, M, Q, and H (about 7%, 15%, 25%, and 30% recovery) are defined in the QR Code standard, ISO/IEC 18004. Last reviewed 2026-07-12.

A logo that looks great and works great. Start at graklink.com.