Put a QR code on your business card that saves your contact in one scan

Choose the Contact type in the QR code generator, fill in your name, organisation, phone, email and website, and print the code on your card. When someone scans it, their phone offers to save a new contact with all of those details filled in, so nobody has to type your number from a card in poor light.

Steps

1. Open the QR code generator and choose Contact under What the code holds.
2. Fill in the fields you want on the card: Full name, Organisation, Phone, Email and Website. Any field can be left blank; at least one must be filled.
3. Write the phone number in international form, such as +44 20 7946 0000 or +91 98765 43210, so it dials correctly from any country.
4. Watch the result line. It should read Scans reliably. A contact card holds more text than a link, so the pattern is denser; if the check warns about density, drop a field you can live without.
5. Press SVG for the card printer or design app, or PNG for an email signature or a slide.
6. Scan the printed proof with two different phones and open the saved contact to check every field.

What goes into the code

The code stores a vCard 3.0 card, a plain-text format phones have read for years. For a card with a name, a company and a phone number, the text inside looks like this:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:Alex Doe
ORG:Acme Studio
TEL;TYPE=CELL:+91 98765 43210
END:VCARD

Only the fields you fill in are written. The phone number is saved as a mobile number. Commas, semicolons and line breaks in what you type are escaped so they do not break the card.

Fewer fields, easier scan

Every extra character adds modules to the pattern, and a denser pattern needs a bigger print to read well. On a standard business card (about 85 × 55 mm) the code usually has room for 2 to 2.5 cm, so keep it lean:

Details that change, such as a job title in a fast-moving role, age badly on a printed card. A website link that you can update is longer-lasting than a long list of fields.

Placing it on the card

• Put the code on the back or in a corner with a clear white margin on all sides. The generator adds a four-module border; do not trim it.
• Keep it dark on light. A brand colour works if it is dark enough; the scan check measures contrast and warns below 4:1.
• A small logo in the centre is possible with Centre logo, which raises error correction to 30%. On a code this small, choose Small and confirm the check still says it scans reliably.
• Print a line such as "Scan to save my contact" near it, so people know what it does.

Other places to use the same code

The same PNG works on a conference badge, the last slide of a talk, a shop counter or an email signature. For an email signature, a 256 or 512 pixel PNG is plenty; if the file is still heavier than you want, compress it before adding it.

If a field lands in the wrong place

A few older scanner apps do not follow the vCard standard fully and can put a field in the wrong slot, or drop the website. The phone's own camera app is usually the most reliable reader. If one phone gets it wrong:

• Check the saved contact on another phone to see whether the problem is the scanner or the card.
• Read the code with the QR code reader, which shows the raw card text, so you can see exactly what is stored.

Questions

Can I edit the card after printing?

No. The details are stored inside the pattern. To change a number, make a new code and print new cards. If you expect changes, put a link to an online profile in the Website field.

Does the contact need internet to save?

No. Everything is in the code, so a phone saves the contact even with no signal. Only opening the website needs a connection.

Are my details uploaded when I make the code?

No. The card is built in your browser, and your details only leave the device inside the file you download.

Can I add a photo of myself to the contact?

No. This tool writes name, organisation, phone, email and website only.