QR code colour guide
You can colour a QR code almost any way you like, as long as you respect one thing: a scanner needs to tell dark modules from light ones, and it is far less forgiving than your eye.
Make a QR code free →Contrast is the whole game. A scanner reduces your code to light and dark before it reads anything, so two colours that look clearly different to you can collapse into the same grey once that happens. Red on black is the classic failure — obviously different in colour, nearly identical in luminance. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4 to 1 between module and background, and treat 7 to 1 as comfortable. The second rule is polarity: keep dark modules on a light background. Most scanners handle the inverse, but not all, and a code that works on your phone may fail on an older one or through a third-party app. Gradients are safe as long as both ends stay dark against the background — the risk is a gradient that fades toward the background colour at one corner, which is exactly where finder patterns live.
Made in CuteQRCodeA two-tone gradient where both ends stay dark against white — the safe way to colour a code.
What scanners actually need
Contrast, not hue
Scanners read luminance, not colour. Red on black fails because the two are nearly the same brightness, however different they look to you.
Dark on light
Keep modules darker than the background. Inverted codes work on most modern phones but not reliably on older ones or third-party scanner apps.
Gradients with a floor
A gradient is fine while both ends stay dark against the background. Trouble starts when one corner fades toward the background and takes a finder pattern with it.
Finder patterns first
The three corner squares are what a scanner locates before anything else. Whatever you do with colour, keep those at full contrast.
How to colour one safely
Enter your details
Pick your colours under the style controls — solid or one of the gradient presets — and watch the live preview. If the contrast drops too far, the preview is where you will see it before you print.
Choose your style
Pick a module shape, colours or a gradient, and optionally add a centre logo. Watch the live preview to confirm the code stays scannable.
Download the PNG
Click Generate, then Save PNG to download a free 1024×1024 image ready for screen or print. No account required.
Colour choices that work
Brand colour on white
The safest custom option. Any brand colour dark enough to pass 4 to 1 against white will scan everywhere.
Two-tone gradient
Two dark brand colours blended across the modules reads reliably and still looks designed. Keep both ends dark.
Dark background, light modules
Possible, and striking, but test on more than one phone. If the code is going to print, the safer choice is to invert the layout around it instead.
Photo or texture behind
Use the background image option with the opacity overlay. The overlay exists precisely so the modules keep their contrast over a busy image.
Frequently asked questions
Can a QR code be any colour?
Almost. The constraint is contrast, not hue: the modules need to be clearly darker than the background once reduced to greyscale. A contrast ratio of 4 to 1 is the working minimum and 7 to 1 is comfortable. Any colour that meets that against your background will scan.
Why does my coloured QR code not scan?
Usually the module and background colours are close in luminance even though they look different in colour. Red on black and yellow on white are the common offenders. Convert your two colours to greyscale mentally — if they look similar, a scanner will struggle.
Can I invert a QR code, light on dark?
Often, but not always. Most current phone cameras handle inverted codes, while some older devices and third-party scanner apps do not. If the code matters, keep dark modules on a light background and invert the design around it instead.
Do gradients break QR codes?
Not inherently. A gradient between two colours that are both dark against the background scans fine. The failure case is a gradient that fades toward the background colour in a corner, because that is where the finder patterns are and they need full contrast.
Does colour affect how small I can print?
Indirectly. Lower contrast costs you margin everywhere else, so a low-contrast code needs to be printed larger and lit better than a black-on-white one. If you are already at the minimum size, keep the colours conservative.
Is CuteQRCode free to use?
Yes, for everything most people need. The free plan gives you unlimited QR codes, every module shape and gradient preset, a centre logo, and 1024×1024 PNG downloads with no export limit and no account required. Free downloads carry a small "Made with CuteQRCode.com" line and include one active dynamic QR code with up to 500 scans a month. CuteQR Pro, at $9 a month, removes that attribution and adds vector SVG export, ten dynamic codes, scan analytics, and custom seqr.li short links.
Will a styled QR code still scan?
Yes. The three finder-pattern squares in the corners are always drawn in the standard proportions scanners rely on, and styling is applied only to the data modules. A live preview lets you confirm scannability before you download, and high error correction adds tolerance for logos.