QR Code Generator
Why do my QR codes have different PNG dimensions?
Standard and Large set pixels per QR module, not a fixed image width. The exported side length is the pattern's module count plus eight border modules, multiplied by six for Standard or ten for Large. Different messages can require different pattern sizes. Compare resolutions with identical text, read PNG dimensions after generating, and scan-test the final layout.
Read Standard and Large as scale settings
If two Standard exports have different widths, the resolution selector has not necessarily changed. Standard draws each module, or square unit of the pattern, at 6 by 6 pixels. Large draws it at 10 by 10 pixels. Neither option promises a fixed width such as 300 or 500 pixels.
For a handout with several QR codes, start by generating each final message and reading PNG dimensions in The signal panel. Record that value alongside the message. File size is reported separately in KB; it is not the image's width and does not tell you how many modules the pattern contains.
Account for the border in the calculation
The app calculates each PNG side as (pattern module count + 8) multiplied by the selected pixels per module. The extra eight represents a four-module white border on each opposite side. That border is included in the displayed dimensions; it is not extra space that a download adds afterward.
As an arithmetic example, a pattern 29 modules wide would produce a 222-pixel Standard PNG: (29 + 8) times 6. The same pattern at Large would be 370 pixels wide: (29 + 8) times 10. These numbers illustrate the formula, rather than predicting the output for a particular URL. Keep the white border when placing the image in your document.
Expect pattern sizes to change in steps
Before drawing, the generator converts the exact input to UTF-8 bytes and encodes it with medium error correction. The bundled encoder searches QR versions from the smallest allowed version upward until the data fits. Its pattern width is calculated as version times four plus seventeen modules.
Consequently, adding a few characters may leave the PNG dimensions unchanged, while a later edit moves the message into a larger pattern. At a fixed resolution, each one-version increase adds four modules: 24 pixels per side for Standard or 40 for Large. Image width is therefore not a character counter.
Use the input's byte counter when shortening a message. The app limits input to 1,000 UTF-8 bytes, and the encoder receives bytes rather than a count of visible letters. Choosing Large changes the drawing scale after encoding; it cannot make an oversized message acceptable.
Compare both resolutions with identical text
To compare exports for one layout, generate at Standard, note the dimensions and download that result if you need it. Leave Text or URL unchanged, choose Large, then generate again. Changing the resolution immediately clears the preview and disables its download, so the second image requires a fresh generation.
For identical input, Large has five-thirds the pixel width of Standard because ten divided by six is five-thirds. It retains the same module count, encoded message and medium error correction. If you edit the text between exports, you are also allowing the pattern size to change, making the comparison less useful.
Check the code in its intended layout
The generator offers two pixel scales, rather than a control for a specific printed width. Place the saved PNG in your handout, preserve its white border and scan-test at the intended print size before producing copies. A larger PNG alone does not establish that your chosen layout will scan successfully.
If scanning fails, the app suggests a shorter message or Large resolution. Treat either change as a new result to check. There is no universal minimum print size stated by this app, and scanner handling of international text can vary. Use the actual finished layout as your check rather than assuming READY means the printed copy has been verified.
AI-assisted ForgeHub editorial. App capabilities were checked against its implementation; this guide is not an independent review.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request an exact 300 by 300 pixel PNG?
There is no custom-width control. Standard uses six pixels per module and Large uses ten. The final square dimensions depend on the encoded pattern plus its four-module border on each side.
Does Large add stronger error correction?
No. Both resolutions use medium error correction. The scale is passed to the drawing function after the message has been encoded, so Large changes pixels per module rather than correction strength.
Why did removing a few characters leave the dimensions unchanged?
The encoder selects the smallest QR version that fits the encoded data. A shorter message can still require the same version, which leaves the module count and PNG dimensions unchanged at the same resolution.