Typing a business card into a phone is slow, and one wrong digit means the call never reaches you. A vCard QR code on the card lets people save your details in one scan.

What a vCard QR code is

vCard is the standard contact-card format that the contacts apps on iPhone and Android understand. A vCard QR code carries that card inside the pattern: point a phone camera at it and the phone offers to save a new contact.

A contact card made on QRnaka is a plain QR code: everything sits inside the code, nothing goes through a link of ours, and it has no expiry date of its own. The catch is that you cannot edit it after printing.

The fields

The vCard QR page has fields for first name, last name, company or shop, job title, mobile, work phone, e-mail, website, LINE ID, address and a note. You need a first name, a last name or a company; the rest is optional, and Thai works as well as English.

The LINE ID field takes a personal ID such as somchai.k or a shop's LINE Official Account ID starting with @, such as @myshop. If you mainly want customers to add your shop on LINE, a separate LINE QR code is the better fit.

Less data, easier scanning

Every character adds squares to the code. At the same print size, more squares means smaller squares, which a phone must pick out from a small card, sometimes in dim light. Short wins:

  • Name, mobile and e-mail are what most people need.
  • Leave the address out if it is already printed on the card, and skip the note.
  • Give a short website address, not a long link with tracking tags.
  • Thai characters take more room than English letters, so trim other fields first if the code gets crowded.

Under the preview, Size shows how many squares the code has on each side and Characters shows how long the data is. Remove a field and watch both drop.

Error correction matters too. The page suggests level L or M for very small prints, and a logo switches the code to level H automatically, which makes the dots denser. More in QR error correction levels.

Step by step

  1. Open the vCard QR page and fill in your name and the fields you picked.
  2. In the "Style" panel, choose level L or M, keep dark dots on a light background, and leave the quiet zone at the recommended 4.
  3. Check that the badge on the preview says "Scans". If it says "May be hard to scan", raise the contrast or cut data.
  4. Download SVG or PDF for a printer or designer (they stay sharp at any size), or a large PNG for everyday use.

Placing it on the card

  • Size. The QR page suggests at least 2 cm a side for close-up scanning. Go bigger if your code holds a lot; see QR print size and scan tests.
  • White space. Keep text and patterns away from the code, and keep it clear of the trim, since cutting can drift.
  • Finish. Glossy lamination can throw glare across the code, so test under real lighting.
  • A label such as "Scan to save my contact" tells people what they get.

Test before the full print run

  1. Print one card at real size on similar stock and scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone if you can.
  2. Save the contact and check that the name, numbers and e-mail landed in the right places.
  3. Photograph the card and open the photo in the QR reader. It lists the name, company, mobile and e-mail in the code and offers "Save contact (.vcf)".
  4. Try poor light and an angle. If the phone hesitates, cut data or enlarge the code.

Where your details go

Signed out, the code is made entirely in your browser and nothing is sent to a server. Signed in to a member account, the codes you download, copy, share or print are kept in your account history with the files, so sign out first if you would rather they were not.

Need to change it later?

A vCard QR code cannot be edited. If your details change often, or you want scan counts, put them on a web page and point a tracked QR code at it: the destination can change after printing, though people open a page instead of saving a contact. Tracked codes are for members, with a 30-day free trial and no card, then 49 baht a month or 365 baht a year (pricing).

FAQ

Does the person scanning need an app?

Usually not: most recent phones read QR codes with the built-in camera. Otherwise our QR reader works in the browser and can save the contact file.

What if my number changes?

The old code still scans, but it saves the old number. Make a new code and reprint.

Do I need an account?

No. Contact-card QR codes are plain QR codes: free, no sign-up and no ads.

Ready? Open the vCard QR page, keep it short, and scan one printed card before you order the box.