PNG vs SVG QR codes: which format should you use?

Use SVG if you're printing. Use PNG if you're sharing digitally. That's the short answer. Here's the full breakdown so you can make the right choice every time.

What's the difference?

PNG and SVG are fundamentally different types of image files. Understanding that difference is the key to choosing correctly.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

A PNG is a raster image — it's made of pixels. A grid of tiny colored squares, like a mosaic. Each pixel has a fixed position and color. When you zoom in far enough, you see the individual squares.

A 1024px QR code PNG is literally a 1024 × 1024 grid of pixels. That's about 1 million pixels total. The QR code's dots are drawn using those pixels, and the image has a fixed resolution that cannot be increased after export.

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)

An SVG is a vector image — it's made of mathematical shapes. Instead of storing "pixel at position 100,200 is black," it stores "draw a square from point A to point B." The shapes are defined by equations, not pixel grids.

This means an SVG can be rendered at any size. Scale it to 10 cm or 10 meters — the math recalculates and every edge stays perfectly sharp. There's no "zooming in" in the pixel sense, because there are no pixels to see.

Side-by-side comparison

Feature	PNG	SVG
Type	Raster (pixels)	Vector (shapes)
Scales up?	No — gets blurry	Yes — stays sharp at any size
File size	Larger (especially at high resolution)	Smaller (just shape definitions)
Transparency	Yes	Yes
Best for print?	Okay at high resolution (2048px)	Excellent — scales to any print size
Best for digital?	Excellent	Works, but some platforms don't support it
Browser support	Universal	Universal
Editable?	Not easily	Yes, in any vector editor (Figma, Illustrator, Inkscape)
Email embedding	Works everywhere	Some email clients don't render SVG

When to use PNG

PNG is the versatile, "works everywhere" format. Choose it when:

Sharing on social media

Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn — all handle PNG perfectly. SVG support on social platforms is inconsistent or nonexistent. If you're posting a QR code on social media, PNG is the only reliable option.

Embedding in emails

Most email clients display PNG images correctly. SVG support in email is spotty — Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail all handle it differently. Stick with PNG for email signatures or newsletters.

Digital presentations

PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Keynote all handle PNG well. SVG support varies and can cause rendering issues. For presentations, export as PNG at 1024px — it'll look sharp on any screen.

Websites (with a caveat)

Both PNG and SVG work on websites. PNG is simpler to implement and universally supported. SVG is technically better (smaller file size, sharper rendering) but PNG at 512px or 1024px is perfectly fine for web use.

Quick sharing

If you're sending a QR code via chat (iMessage, WhatsApp, Slack), PNG is the safe bet. Every messaging app handles PNG. Not all handle SVG.

Recommended PNG sizes from oneclickqrcode.com

Download size	Best for
256px	Email signatures, small digital use
512px	Social media, websites, messaging
1024px	Presentations, moderate print (business cards, flyers)
2048px	Large print (posters, banners)

When in doubt, download at 1024px. It's big enough for most uses and small enough to share easily.

When to use SVG

SVG is the professional choice for anything that involves print or design work. Choose it when:

Professional printing

This is SVG's superpower. A single SVG file works at any print size — business card (2 cm) or billboard (2 meters). No need to worry about DPI, resolution, or pixelation. Hand the SVG to your print shop and let them scale it however they need.

For more on print sizes and DPI, check our QR code size guide.

Design files

If you're handing the QR code to a graphic designer (or using design software yourself), SVG integrates perfectly into tools like Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, or Inkscape. The designer can place it at any size, recolor it, and it stays crisp.

Large format printing

Banners, trade show displays, posters, signage — anything large. A PNG at 2048px starts looking soft when printed at poster size. An SVG stays razor-sharp at any scale because it's recalculated for the output size.

When file size matters

SVG files for QR codes are typically much smaller than high-resolution PNGs. A QR code SVG might be 5-15 KB. The same code as a 2048px PNG could be 50-100 KB or more. If you're embedding QR codes on a website and care about page load speed, SVG wins.

Future-proofing

If you're not sure how the QR code will be used, save an SVG. You can always convert an SVG to PNG later (at any resolution you want). You can't go the other direction — you can't turn a 256px PNG into a sharp 2048px image.

What about JPG?

oneclickqrcode.com also offers JPG downloads, but it's generally the weakest option for QR codes:

• No transparency — JPG doesn't support transparent backgrounds. If you want the QR code to sit on a colored surface without a white box, JPG can't do it
• Lossy compression — JPG compresses by blurring fine details. QR codes are all about precise edges and sharp contrasts. Compression can soften those edges, especially at smaller sizes, potentially making the code harder to scan
• Fine for casual use — if you're just texting a QR code to someone and don't care about print quality, JPG works. But PNG does the same job better

Recommendation: skip JPG for QR codes. Use PNG for digital, SVG for print.

Transparent backgrounds

Both PNG and SVG support transparent backgrounds. JPG does not.

At oneclickqrcode.com, toggle the "No background" option before downloading. This removes the background color and gives you just the QR code dots on a transparent layer.

When to use transparency:

• Colored print materials — placing a QR code on a colored flyer or business card without a white rectangle around it
• Web design — embedding a QR code over a background image or gradient
• Brand materials — letting the surrounding design show through

When to keep the background:

• Maximum scannability — a white background behind dark dots gives the highest contrast and most reliable scanning
• Standalone print — if the QR code is on its own card or sticker, a white background looks cleaner

Quality comparison for print

Here's what happens when you print a QR code at 4 × 4 cm (a typical flyer size) using different formats:

Format	Result at 4 × 4 cm print
SVG	Perfect — sharp edges at any print size
PNG 2048px	Excellent — 2048px at 4 cm = ~1300 DPI, far above the 300 DPI standard
PNG 1024px	Very good — ~650 DPI, well above professional quality
PNG 512px	Acceptable — ~325 DPI, just above the standard. Fine for casual print
PNG 256px	Soft — ~163 DPI, below print standard. May look slightly blurry up close
JPG 1024px	Good resolution but edges may show compression artifacts

For professional print work, SVG or PNG at 1024px+ is the way to go. For a poster or banner, use SVG.

How to choose: the decision tree

1. Are you printing?

   • Yes, large format (poster/banner) → SVG
   • Yes, small format (business card/flyer) → SVG or PNG 1024px+
   • No → go to step 2

2. Are you sharing digitally?

   • Social media → PNG 512px or 1024px
   • Email → PNG 512px
   • Website → PNG 512px or SVG
   • Messaging app → PNG 512px

3. Are you handing it to a designer?

   • Yes → SVG (always)

4. Not sure how it'll be used?

   • Download both SVG and PNG 1024px — covers every scenario

Adding a logo: format considerations

When you add a logo to your QR code, the format choice still applies:

• SVG export — the QR code shapes are vector, but your uploaded logo is embedded as a raster image within the SVG. The QR code itself scales perfectly; the logo scales as well as its original resolution allows
• PNG export — everything is rasterized at the chosen resolution. Use 1024px or 2048px for logos to look sharp

For best results with logos: upload the highest resolution logo you have (or an SVG logo), and download the QR code as SVG for print or PNG at 2048px for large digital use.

FAQ

Can I convert SVG to PNG later?

Yes. You can open an SVG in any image editor (or even a web browser) and export it as PNG at whatever resolution you want. This is why saving an SVG is good "insurance" — you can always make a PNG from it later.

Can I convert PNG to SVG?

Not meaningfully. You can technically trace a PNG to vector, but the result is an approximation, not a perfect recreation. Always save the SVG at creation time if you think you might need it.

Which format has better scannability?

Neither — scannability depends on print size, contrast, and physical condition, not file format. A well-printed PNG and a well-printed SVG scan identically.

Is SVG supported everywhere?

On the web, yes. In email, no — many email clients don't render SVG. For social media, no — most platforms convert uploads to PNG or JPG anyway. For print and design, SVG is universally supported.

Do I need to download both?

Not necessarily, but it doesn't hurt. If you're printing something important (business cards, a marketing campaign), download both SVG and PNG 2048px. The SVG is your master file; the PNG is your quick-share backup.

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Create your QR code in PNG or SVG at oneclickqrcode.com. Download in any format, any size — free, no sign-up needed.