How to put a vCard QR code on your business card

What is a vCard QR code?

A vCard (.vcf) is the standard format for a contact card: name, phone, email, company, website and address. A vCard QR code stores those details directly in the pattern. When someone scans it, their phone offers to save the contact straight into the address book, with no typing and no typos.

Two ways to do it

A static vCard code holds the contact details itself. It works offline and never expires, but the details are fixed: if your number changes, the printed code is out of date.
A dynamic digital business card points to a hosted page that shows your details and a save-contact button. You can update the page later without changing the printed code.

If you print thousands of cards for a team where roles and numbers change, the dynamic option saves money. For a personal card that rarely changes, static is simple and reliable.

Keep it small enough to scan

Every extra field makes the code denser. A vCard with a name, mobile number, email, company, job title, website and full postal address can produce a very busy pattern that is hard to scan at card size. To keep it reliable:

Include only what you want strangers to have. A name, one phone number, one email and a website is usually enough.
Skip long notes and extra addresses.
Print the code at least 2 × 2 cm, ideally 2.5 cm or more.
Keep the quiet margin and a high-contrast dark-on-light colour scheme.

Layout on the card

The back of the card is the best place for a code, which leaves the front for your name and logo. Add a short label such as “Scan to save my contact” so people know what will happen. Avoid placing the code near a folded edge or trimming it too close, since cutting into the margin is a common cause of failed scans. Our print size guide covers the margin rules in detail.

Privacy and safety

Anything encoded in a QR code can be read by whoever scans it, including a card left on a counter or photographed in a shared post. Use a work phone number and email rather than personal ones where possible, and leave out a home address.

Test on several phones

Scan the finished design on both iPhone and Android and check that the contact imports with the right name and number in the correct fields. Fix any problem before sending the cards to print. When you are ready, build yours with the QRinst generator and check it with the QR checker.