A contact code that carries your logo and still saves cleanly
A vCard code already runs at a higher error-correction level than most types, which gives you a head start on branding — but a centred logo still needs level H to guarantee the covered modules recover. Behind the mark, the code holds the full contact: name, phone, email, company and title, all saved in one tap.
The catch specific to vCards is length. Every field you fill adds characters, the code grows denser, and a dense code fights a logo. A lean card — name, one number, one email — leaves the roomy modules that survive a mark; a card stuffed with every field does not.
From Q to H when you add the mark
The plain vCard code sits at Q correction because contact data benefits from resilience on business-card-sized prints. Adding a logo raises the stakes, so push it to H: the extra recovery is what rebuilds the modules under your mark.
That jump costs capacity, and a vCard is already one of the wordier payloads. If the branded code won't scan, the fix is usually fewer fields rather than a smaller logo — drop the job title or the second URL before anything else.
Trim the fields so the logo fits
Decide what the scan actually needs to save. firstName, lastName, phone and email cover most exchanges. Add org and title only if they earn their place, and skip the optional url unless it's the point of the card.
A leaner vCard produces larger modules, and larger modules tolerate a bigger, more visible logo. It's a direct trade — every field you cut buys you a little more room for the brand mark in the centre.
- Keep: firstName, lastName, phone, email.
- Optional: org, title — add only if needed.
- Cut first when a logo won't scan: url, title.
Printing small on a business card
Business cards force the code small, so the logo and quiet zone matter more than on a poster. Keep the outer margin, centre the logo tightly, and pad it with solid colour so its edge reads clean at print size.
Test at the real dimensions, not on screen. A code that scans at 4 cm on a monitor can fail at the 1.5 cm it occupies on card stock, and a logo only narrows that margin further.
How to brand a vCard code
- Enter the core fields. Fill firstName, lastName, phone and email. These are the ones a scan reliably saves into the phone's contacts.
- Add org and title sparingly. Include them only if the card needs them. Every extra field makes the code denser and less logo-tolerant.
- Raise correction to H. Move up from the default Q before placing art. Branding a dense card at Q is the classic reason a vCard scan fails.
- Add the logo and test at print size. Centre it, keep it small, then scan at the actual card dimensions. Cut a field if it hesitates.
Technical details
- Maximum characters: 4296
- Recommended error correction: H (high) — a center logo covers modules, and high recovery lets scanners rebuild them
- The plain vCard type uses Q; raise it to H when adding a logo.
- Fields: firstName, lastName, phone, email, org, title, url — each one adds density, so trim to keep the logo readable.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I add a logo to a vCard QR code?
- Yes. Raise error correction to H so the modules under the logo recover, then place the mark dead-centre and small. Because a vCard packs several fields, keep the contact lean — cutting the job title or a URL often does more for scannability than shrinking the logo.
- Why won't my branded vCard code scan when a plain one does?
- A vCard carries more data than a link, so it's denser and a logo covers more modules. Move up to H correction, reduce the number of filled fields, and shrink the logo. Test at the real business-card size, since small prints fail sooner than screen previews suggest.
- The vCard already uses Q correction — do I still need H?
- For a logo, yes. Q gives good resilience for plain contact codes, but a centred mark blanks out modules that only H's larger recovery reserve can rebuild reliably. Switch to H whenever you add artwork over a vCard.
- How many contact fields can I keep with a logo?
- As many as fit while the code stays scannable, but fewer is safer. Name, phone and email are the durable core. Each added field — org, title, url — raises density and eats into the room a logo needs, so add them only when they genuinely matter.
- Does the logo affect whether the contact saves to the phone?
- No. The logo is a visual overlay and doesn't touch the encoded vCard data. As long as the code scans, the phone parses the same name, number and email and offers to save them. The mark only influences readability, never the saved contact.
- Will the logo work on a small printed business card?
- It can, but test at the true print size. Cards shrink the code to a centimetre or two, where a logo and any lost margin bite harder. Keep the quiet zone, centre the logo tightly, and verify the scan on card stock before ordering a batch.