Business cards change hands, yet the number on them often never reaches the contacts list. Put a contact-card (vCard) QR code on the card and the other person can point their phone at it and save you in a tap.
What is a vCard QR code?
A QR with a web address opens a page. A contact-card QR stores the name, company, title, phone, email, website and address inside the code itself, and the person scanning can add them straight to their contacts. Nobody has to type or browse.
What goes in it?
- First and last name
- Company and job title
- Mobile number
- Website
- Address (optional)
You do not have to fill every field. The less you put in, the simpler the pattern, and the easier it is to read on a small card.
Accented characters
Letters such as ç, ğ, ı, İ, ö, ş and ü are encoded as UTF-8 when the contact card is written, so your name and address arrive in the contacts list intact. Scan your own card with your phone before printing to confirm the name looks right.
- Open your card PDF: Drop the business card PDF you plan to print or share into the tool.
- Choose the contact-card tab: Enter your details; the phone number and web address are tidied up for you.
- Place it in a free corner: Drag the QR to a spot that does not spoil the design. Even on a small card, stay at 15 mm or above.
- Download and test: Download the file and scan it with your own phone from the screen or a printout.
Checklist before printing
- Is the QR at least 15 mm?
- Is the dark pattern on a light background?
- Is there a blank frame around it?
- Do the name, number and email look right when scanned?
- Does a printed test copy scan too?
If your phone number or email changes, the code on printed cards goes stale, because the details are written into it. For details that change often, a web page address you can keep up to date is safer than a contact card.