What you are seeing
This fix replaces the pixelated print with a crisp one. You will check the export resolution, re-export at the right size or as a vector, and reprint a single proof. Approve the run only when the proof shows clean module edges.
Likely causes
1.
Raster file too small for the print size — Quick test: check the exported pixel size against the printed size.
2.
Screenshot used as the print file — Quick test: check whether the file came from a screenshot.
3.
Layout enlarged the image — Quick test: check the placed size against the exported size.
4.
Compression degraded the image — Quick test: check the file format and compression.
5.
Printer set to low resolution — Quick test: check the printer resolution setting.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Check the exported file: its format, its pixel size, and whether it came from a screenshot.
Step 2: Re-export the code as a vector file, or as a raster sized for the exact printed dimensions.
Step 3: Place the image at its native size in the layout. Do not enlarge it there.
Step 4: Set the printer to its normal or high resolution.
Step 5: Print one proof on the real stock and inspect the module edges under good light.
Step 6: If the edges are still coarse, re-export at a higher resolution and reprint.
Step 7: Approve the run only when the proof is crisp and scans on two phones.
Putting this into practice
In practice, check the export resolution before you print, not after. A quick look at the file properties tells you whether the file can carry the printed size, and it saves a wasted proof. Record the before-and-after behaviour with the job file, so the fix is provable rather than anecdotal. When the same failure appears again, that record tells you whether the old fix held or a new cause appeared.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using a screenshot of a QR code as the print file and discovering the pixelation only on the finished run.
- Reprinting the full run before a single proof passes, which turns one failure into many.
- Testing on one phone in ideal conditions instead of two phones in the real conditions where a code that prints pixelated will be used.
- Changing the artwork and the placement at the same time, so you cannot tell which change fixed a code that prints pixelated.- Skipping the proof test because the change looked small, when small changes cause most repeat failures.
Quick checklist
- The print file is vector or high-resolution at the printed size
- The proof shows crisp module edges
- The proof scans on two phones
- The corrected proof passes on two phones in the real conditions
- The fix is recorded in the job file so the next reprint starts from a proven setup
- Every printed copy is checked against the approved proof
- The proof is retested after any later change to the link, design, or placement
Related tools and guides
- [QR minimum size checker](/qr-minimum-size-checker)
- [QR contrast checker](/qr-contrast-checker)
- [QR print proof checklist](/qr-print-proof-checklist)
- [QR DPI calculator](/qr-dpi-calculator)
- [QR quiet zone calculator](/qr-quiet-zone-calculator)
- [printed QR tester](/printed-qr-tester)
- [QR size calculator](/qr-size-calculator)
