How to Enhance Your Design with QR Codes in Shapes

Did you know that you can place your QR codes in shapes to enhance your QR code design?

If you’re using QR codes to run a marketing campaign, you might want to make it a little extra to ensure more scans from the audience.

With colorful and uniquely shaped QR codes, you’re more likely to capture the attention of many. 

Free QR Code Generator offers you tips and tricks to make your QR code one-of-a-kind. Keep reading to learn more. 

Can QR codes be in shapes other than squares?

You can customize QR codes to meet your business’s specific needs and branding requirements, and yes, it is absolutely possible to make your QR codes take on various shapes and forms. 

Shapes are common design elements that help deliver your message and enhance the appearance of the overall design. 

By adding a unique shape to your typical square QR code and branding elements, such as logo and brand colors, you can make it more recognizable and memorable to users. 

This is highly useful for different purposes, including marketing campaigns, event promotions, and product labeling, helping businesses and individuals stand out in a competitive market.

How to create a custom QR code using Free QR Code Generator

1. Open Free QR Code Generator on your browser. 

2. Select a QR code solution and input the required information.

3. Generate the QR code. 

4. Personalize the QR code design using the available customization tools: color, eye, frame, logo, and pattern. You can find the shapes option on the Choose Frame tab.

5. Test, download, and share the QR code. 

Can you make a custom shape QR code with Free QR Code Generator?

Aside from the fact that you can generate a free QR code on the platform, it also allows you to make QR codes in different shapes by adding frames with various designs to them.

Take a look at each of these frame shapes and designs we offer:

Square QR code

When talking about simplicity and practicality, then the square QR code is always ready for action. 

The square shape provides a consistent and recognizable format for QR codes, making them instantly identifiable to users.

To make this classic look more interesting and eye-catching, you can change the color of the frame and add a call-to-action to it. 

Vertical rectangle QR code

Aside from squares, you can put your QR codes in shapes using the other frame options on the platform. 

The rectangle shape, for instance, offers a clean and structured appearance that is easy to integrate into various designs and applications in a linear fashion.

There are five rectangular QR code borders and one with rough edges that you can choose from.

Pointed rectangle QR code

The pointed rectangle QR code frame is among the unique borders you can use to add a distinctive aesthetic touch to QR codes, giving them a more modern and stylized appearance.

Using this frame shape, you can immediately prompt users to scan the QR code with the tapered corner already speaking for itself. 

Circle QR code

The round QR code is one of the most popular forms that QR codes can take. The smooth, symmetrical nature of circles makes it easy to blend into designs. 

While the round shape can affect the functionality of QR codes, our QR code software offers circular QR code frames that maintain their scannability by simply placing a square QR code into a circle. 

You can choose among the five round QR code frames and one with wavy edges for your QR code.

Leaf QR code

Resembling the shape of a leaf, this frame allows you to add a natural element to your QR codes, making them fresh and visually appealing.

This blends well with campaigns related to nature, sustainability, and wellness. 

Of course, you have the freedom to use other graphic design platforms to add a unique frame to your QR codes, like Canva or Adobe Photoshop.

Feel free to use any of these borders to enhance the visuals of your marketing campaigns. 

Benefits of placing QR codes in shapes

Don’t settle with the typical QR codes. Think outside the box with your QR code designs, like placing them in shapes, for example. 

Here are the top five benefits you can get when you embrace unique shapes when customizing your QR codes:

Increased visual appeal

Let’s face it—traditional black-and-white QR codes in square shapes can be a bit boring. 

By placing QR codes within frames in different shapes, you can have a more visually appealing QR code campaign that captures the attention of your audience. 

For instance, you can use a heart QR code for a Valentine’s Day promotion or a hexagon QR code for a special event to add a touch of personality and charm to your marketing materials.

Seamless blending with designs

When it comes to incorporating QR codes into marketing materials, ensuring they seamlessly blend with existing designs is crucial for maintaining visual harmony. 

Placing QR codes in shapes allows you to seamlessly integrate them into various design elements, including posters, flyers, business cards, and product packaging. 

A QR code in a frame complements existing branding materials without disrupting the overall aesthetic.

Enhanced branding 

Incorporating brand elements such as colors and logos into your QR code and placing it within a frame makes a lasting impression on your audience.

A unique-looking QR code that mirrors your brand’s identity reinforces brand recognition and strengthens the connection consumers have with your business.

Competitive edge

The unique and eye-catching marketing materials, thanks to the addition of frames on your QR codes, set your business apart from competitors who rely on conventional QR code placement. 

This creative approach not only captures the attention of your customers but also enhances your brand’s image, giving you a competitive edge in the market.

Better user engagement

Adding a shape border to your QR codes can do wonders for piquing curiosity and encouraging interaction.

The unexpected shape or frame acts as a visual cue to users, prompting them to pause, take a closer look, and scan the QR code. 

With the ability of shapes to capture attention and encourage engagement, you can take advantage of this design element to drive traffic and promote your business out there.

How industries can use custom QR codes in shapes

Have an innovative twist to your QR code campaigns by adding a shape to them. 

Here’s how businesses from various fields and industries can use their custom QR codes and the advantages they gain from it. 

Retail 

Placing QR codes in frames with unique shapes offers you an opportunity to enhance customer engagement and drive sales.

For example, clothing brands can use a rectangle-shaped clothing QR code tag made of a URL QR code to provide customers with styling tips, size guides, and exclusive offers from their websites. 

Grocery stores can also paste a circle QR code in fruit and vegetable displays, allowing customers to access recipes, nutritional information, and cooking tips when they scan the QR code.

Hospitality

If you’re a hotelier or resort owner, then customizing your QR code with an eye-catching frame encourages your guests to interact with your QR code. 

For instance, you can add a frame to your QR code for a Facebook page with a unique shape, color, and call-to-action to compel guests to visit and follow you. 

Restaurants can also use a star-shaped menu QR code that leads customers to their menu specials with reviews from their loyal customers. 

Education

Attract your students to scan the QR code on their learning materials and resources by adding an eye-catching frame to it. 

Teachers can place QR codes in shapes and incorporate them into textbooks, allowing students to access supplemental reading materials, study guides, and multimedia content.

Institutions can also use custom QR codes with department logos to provide prospective students and visitors with access to essential information about the institution’s offerings and campus culture.

Entertainment

You can enhance the promotional campaign and drive ticket sales to your movie, concert, or sports event by using customizable QR codes on your marketing materials. 

Add branding elements to your movie QR code or e-ticket QR code, such as logo, color, and frame, to catch the attention of potential attendees and prompt them to purchase tickets and attend your event.

Travel and tourism

Promote destinations and increase travel bookings effectively by customizing your booking QR code and adding a unique frame to it.

Seamlessly add them to marketing campaigns, travel brochures, and destination guides to provide travelers with access to travel itineraries, sightseeing recommendations, and booking options. 

Best practices to effectively use your personalized QR codes

Maximize the effectiveness of your QR code marketing campaigns with the right strategies. Take note of the following tips and tricks we have prepared to help you use the full potential of QR code technology:

Provide valuable content

First things first, make sure that your QR code leads to content valuable to your target audience. You can encourage more users to scan the QR code when their is an incentive with it. 

Whether it’s exclusive discounts, access to premium content, or entry into a giveaway, you must provide users with a compelling reason to scan the QR code and interact with your brand. 

Remember to clearly communicate the benefits of scanning the QR code to increase user participation.

Design with purpose

When creating personalized QR codes for your business, it’s essential to design with a clear purpose in mind. 

Consider the specific objectives of your marketing campaign or promotion and tailor the design of the QR code to align with those goals. 

Make sure that the design of the QR code effectively communicates the intended message and entices users to take action.

Choose the right shape or frame and size to create QR codes that stand out and capture attention. 

Incorporate branding elements

Use a QR code color that matches your branding and, at the same time, ensures the readability of your QR code. 

Colored QR codes with logos and frames maintain consistency with your brand’s visual identity, helping build brand recall and trust among your target audience.

Provide a clear call to action

Aside from the content and design of your QR code, make sure to communicate clearly the purpose of your QR code and the action you want users to take. 

Add a concise call-to-action that motivates users to scan the QR code. Use compelling language to entice users and create a sense of urgency.

Optimize placement and visibility

Size, contrast, and placement are among the most important of QR code marketing that you shouldn’t overlook. 

Make sure that you use high-contrast colors and maintain at least a minimum QR code size of 2×2 cm to make sure that the QR code is readable in varying conditions.

Display your marketing materials with QR codes in high-traffic areas where your target audience is likely to encounter them.

Make your campaigns unique with QR codes in shapes

The opportunity to customize QR codes with unique frame shapes provides greater flexibility and creativity for businesses that use the technology in their marketing efforts. 

From the classic square and circle to the soft and rough edges frames, adding a frame to the usual square QR code enhances your QR code campaign’s visual appeal and effectiveness.

Seamlessly integrate QR codes with various shapes into your marketing materials. Visit Free QR Code Generator today and take the chance to create QR codes of different shapes.

Frequently asked questions

Can QR codes be rectangles?

Yes, you can create rectangle QR codes by placing them into rectangular frames. Our QR code software also offers frames with different designs aside from rectangles that you can use for free. 

Do QR codes need to be flat?

While QR codes have always been two-dimensional, it is now possible to print QR codes in three-dimensional format.

Just make sure to use a reliable QR code software, 3D modeling tool, and printer to make a functional 3D printed QR code. 

Still, it is highly recommended to incorporate QR codes on flat surfaces to ensure their readability. 

Can QR codes be different sizes?

A general rule of thumb is to ensure that the QR code is at least 2 x 2 centimeters in size, but you can change it accordingly as long as it is proportional to the intended viewing distance.

For example, large banners or billboards require larger QR code sizes to ensure readability from a distance, while QR codes on business cards or flyers can be smaller.

Properly sizing your QR codes is crucial to ensure that it remains scannable.