Create a QR Code in Different Shapes: Elevate Brand Design

The world is fast-changing and until you learn to adapt and adjust to stand out from the masses, you will fade into oblivion.

Bernard Kelvin Clive, The Art of Personal Branding

Change is inevitable, and that couldn’t ring more true when it comes to customer behavior and preferences. 

Brand design is ever-evolving. We’ve seen it with world-renowned brands, such as Starbucks, Apple, Microsoft, PepsiCo, and many others. 

Since brands are well aware of the vast QR Code usage that has started taking place over the past few years, the above quote applies to this technology as well. 

QR Code design isn’t what it used to be. It started with the traditional black and white design to a customizable color scheme that matches the brand using it. 

Today, brands have started using different QR Code shapes, too—with circular ones being the most popular. And with the plethora of QR Code generators in the market, Uniqode’s QR Code maker is one of the few that provides the option of circular QR Codes.

So, let’s dive into the different custom QR Code shapes and how they benefit your brand and delight your customer base. 

Table of contents

1. Can QR Codes be different shapes?
2. Benefits of custom QR Code shapes
3. How do you turn a QR Code into a shape?
4. QR Codes in different shapes: Examples to help you out
5. Best practices for QR Code shapes
6. FAQs

Can QR Codes shapes be customized? 

Gone are the days when QR Codes are only generated in a square shape.

Now the landscape for customizing QR Codes has evolved, and brands have started catching up to the trend of experimenting with different shaped QR Codes. 

One such shape that has ramped up in popularity is a circular QR Code. 

Since every brand has its own design language, creating a circular QR Code can help match that and deliver an overall stellar brand design. 

With the help of a QR Code shapes generator like Uniqode, you can seamlessly create QR Codes in both square and circular shapes as per your campaign requirements. 

Have more questions about QR Codes? Check out our FAQ article!

Benefits of custom QR Code shapes

#1 Let your QR Codes match your brand’s design aesthetic 

Custom QR Code shapes let you maintain your brand’s design aesthetic. 

For instance, you can create custom QR Codes for print. This can help your UI/UX designers or team curate marketing materials that are consistent with your brand’s design guidelines.

Be it posters, flyers, banners, or packaging; a circular QR Code can match the design well—something that a regular, square-shaped QR Code would not be able to achieve. 

According to Lucidpress’s report, consistent brand representation can increase revenue by 33%. 

Customers who view these consistent designs can recall your brand better, creating a long-lasting impression on them. 

Related: Learn how to design a customized QR Code

#2 Stand out from the competition 

According to a study by MicroCreatives, 60.8% of marketers believe that visuals are an integral part of a campaign. 

One major aspect that can help set you apart from competitors is your brand design. 

You can stand out from those brands that use basic QR Code shapes and appeal to your customer base using custom-shaped QR Codes. 

This can make quite a difference across all marketing campaigns, be it a QR Code on your website, a PDF manual, a receipt, or a product label. 

#3 Increase brand recall and make a good first impression 

All it takes is one-tenth of a second to form a first impression, according to a psychology study.

This also applies to your brand and its products/services. 

When a customer walks into your store or comes across an advertisement, what they view first registers quickly and enables them to form an opinion on your brand. 

On that note, using different QR Code shapes on packaging, posters, and other promotional materials can grab customers’ attention and help them remember your brand. 

You can further customize your QR Code with a logo and improve brand recall.

How do you turn a QR Code into a shape?

Here’s how you can use a custom QR Code generator to turn a QR Code into a shape. 

Step 1: Log in to the dashboard

Log in to the Uniqode dashboard, select ‘QR Codes’ under ‘Products’, and click on ‘+Create QR Code’ at the top right corner of the dashboard.

Step 2: Select campaign type 

Pick a campaign type from the ones listed. In this example, we’ll be creating a website QR Code. 

Step 3: Set up the QR Code

To convert a URL to QR Code, paste the link to your website in the space provided and click ‘Next’. 

Step 4: Customize the QR Code – Make it circular 

It’s now time to customize your QR Code. Select a predefined template, modify its eyes, add a logo, select a data pattern, and add a background. 

Once you reach the ‘Frames’ section in the customization step, you can change the shape of your QR Code into a circle QR Code. All you need to do is click on the circle. 

Click ‘Next’. 

Step 5: Download your QR Code 

Download your QR Code in any of the five available formats – PNG, JPG, SVG, EPS, and PDF. 

Bonus tip: You can save your QR Code’s design as a template and reuse it for future campaigns. 

These QR Code templates help you save a ton of time since you don’t have to customize the QR Code all over again.  

Choose a suitable plan from our QR Code generator pricing plans.

QR Codes in different shapes: Examples to help you out

Here are some examples of custom QR Code shapes used on different mediums to draw inspiration from. 

Best practices for QR Code shapes

#1 Use dynamic circular QR Codes

When it comes to QR Codes in custom shapes, an added benefit is their functionality.

This is where a dynamic QR Code comes into the picture. 

You can experiment with a plethora of campaign variations and find out which version works best for your brand. 

All you need to do is redirect the existing QR Code to the new destination without having to create it again. 

Utilize a robust dynamic QR Code generator to aid you in creating dynamic QR Codes with a stellar design.

#2 Make your QR Code actionable – Add a frame text 

It’s always a good practice to add an actionable call-to-action frame text to your QR Code. It prompts the user to scan and access the content it contains. 

Moreover, it’s even better to use a personalized CTA text on your QR Code to let people know what to expect upon scanning. 

According to HubSpot’s research, personalized CTAs perform 202% better than basic ones. 

For instance, if your QR Code links to a tutorial video, use a frame text such as, ‘Scan to watch a tutorial’ so that the user is aware of the content and can scan quickly to watch it. 

Check out how QR Codes with text below benefit you!

#3 Select the right QR Code size 

A vital aspect of printing a QR Code is its size. 

In general, your QR Code should be at least 1 cm x 1 cm in size to be rendered scannable by smartphones. 

You can also follow this formula as a rule of thumb:

QR Code size = Scanning distance/10

The scanning distance is the length between your smartphone and the QR Code. 

Check out our QR Code size guide to learn more

#4 Use inverted colors for your custom-shaped QR Code

While you customize your custom-shaped QR Code, use a contrasting color palette for effective scannability. 

For example, if the background of your QR Code is a dark shade, use a lighter shade for its foreground. 

Bonus: Uniqode’s QR Code platform comes equipped with a scannability checker that notifies you of the QR Code’s scannability as you customize it. 

Check out: How to create custom QR Codes

#5 Place your QR Code appropriately

Where you place your QR Code also plays a role in its scannability. 

For instance, when you create a QR Code for a magazine, avoid placing it on uneven surfaces or in the fold of a magazine since this can distort your QR Code.  

Instead, place it on a flat surface for quick and seamless scannability. 

#6 Print your QR Code in a suitable format

Before printing your QR Code, deciding on a suitable download format is crucial. 

This depends on the marketing medium you’re printing your QR Code on. 

We recommend printing in the PNG format for small-sized print media, such as business cards or newspapers. 

However, for large-sized print media, such as billboards, we recommend using scalable vector formats, such as SVG, EPS, and PDF. 

These formats are resolution-independent, and your QR Code won’t get pixelated upon increasing its size. 

Check out our QR Code printing guidelines to learn more

#7 High error correction level

Incorporate high error correction on your custom QR Code to ensure accurate scanning even if the QR Code is damaged or partially obscured. Different error correction levels can be chosen depending on the specific requirements.

Also read: What is QR Code error correction?

FAQs

Do QR Codes have to be square-shaped?

No, QR Codes do not have to be square-shaped. You can use a QR Code shape generator to create them in custom shapes, such as a circle.

Can I make a round QR Code?

Yes, you can make a round or circular QR Code. Check out Uniqode’s QR Code shapes generator to make round QR Codes. 

• Author Details
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Author Details

Shweta Menon

Content Marketer , Uniqode

A happy writer with a fascination for technology, a passion for marketing, and a love for good literature. Feel free to reach out to her on LinkedIn to spark conversations about any of the above.

shweta.m@mobstac.com

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