QR Code Colors and Contrast That Scan Reliably
By QRVane · Updated
Scanners look for dark modules on a lighter background. Contrast matters more than the specific colors.
What works
Dark navy, forest green, deep red or black on white or a very light tint. Gradients are fine as long as every part of the gradient stays dark enough against the background.
What breaks
Light-on-dark (inverted) codes: many scanners can't read them. Pastels on white. A transparent background placed over a busy photo. Two mid-tones that look different to the eye but similar in brightness.
A quick test
Take a screenshot, convert it to grayscale, and squint. If the pattern isn't obvious, the contrast is too low. Our generator warns when foreground and background are too close.
As always, test the printed result: inks and paper change how colors look.