Why logos matter
Decoders need enough intact modules—including timing patterns and data regions—to reconstruct the payload. A logo removes a contiguous block of that information, usually in the center.
Clear logo backgrounds (hiding modules behind the mark) improve visual polish and can reduce confusing half-covered modules, but they do not restore the data those modules carried. You are still spending error-correction budget.
- Do not cover finder patterns with the logo or frame art
- Avoid extra stickers, stamps, or staples on top of an already-logoed code
- Busy logo artwork with transparent speckles can be harder than a solid mark of the same size
Logo size range
QRburst clamps logo size to about 10–35% of the QR width. Design Studio also warns more strongly as logos grow (around the upper band of that range) because obstruction risk rises nonlinearly with area.
Practical habit: start nearer 10–20% for dense payloads or small print sizes; only increase if brand needs demand it and tests still pass. Enlarge the physical QR if you must keep a larger mark.
| Logo width (approx.) | When it is more workable | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| ~10–15% | Dense payloads, small cards, first branded draft | Baseline decode + mild obstruction stress |
| ~15–25% | Short URLs, larger stickers/flyers, ECC H | Full stress suite + multi-phone check |
| ~25–35% | Only with larger print size and careful testing | Do not ship on Lab/browser evidence alone |
Error correction
Use ECC H for logo codes unless you have a strong, tested reason not to. Higher ECC can tolerate more obstruction but may increase density/version, which shrinks modules at a fixed physical size.
Approximate recovery capacities (L ≈ 7%, M ≈ 15%, Q ≈ 25%, H ≈ 30%) are standardized planning figures—not exact guarantees that a logo of a given size will decode everywhere.
How to test
Layer your evidence. Configuration analysis (P3 heuristics) flags logo size, ECC, contrast, and quiet-zone risk. Simulated decode stress tests (P4) attempt real browser decoding against degraded renders of your actual logo—useful evidence, not physical print proof.
QRburst does not merge those layers into one certainty score. After browser tests, scan on multiple phones and proof the final printed piece under realistic lighting.
- Confirm baseline decode still returns the exact payload
- Pay attention to obstruction and blur scenarios when logos are large
- Re-test after any logo swap, color change, or export resize