ID Card Generator with QR Code — Free Badge Card Maker

How to Make an ID Card with QR Code — Step by Step

Making your first card takes about two minutes. Here's the exact sequence that works best:

1. Pick a format — use the "Card Format" dropdown in the top navigation or the quick template buttons. QR ID Card is the default and works for most use cases. Employee, Student, and Visitor formats rearrange the layout automatically.
2. Type directly on the card — click on "Name", "Organization Name", or "ID / Roll No" and start typing. The card updates live as you type.
3. Upload a photo and logo — click the photo box or logo area. Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP. The image fits automatically.
4. Toggle the fields you need — the Show / Hide Fields panel lets you add Role, Department, Date of Birth, Issue Date, Expiry Date, Phone, Email, Address, and more. Fields appear in the exact order you tick them.
5. Choose a card size — CR80 (85.6 × 54 mm) is the world standard, same as a credit card. For lanyards and student IDs, a portrait size works better.
6. Pick a colour theme — the colour dots between the card and the preview switch between seven themes. The live preview updates instantly so you see exactly what will print.
7. Set your QR code content — by default the QR encodes the ID number. Switch to Basic Card Details to include name and fields, or enter a custom destination URL, vCard, or any text.
8. Download or print — click Download and choose PDF, PNG, or JPG. PDF is best for printing at actual size. PNG is best for digital use.

If you want to explore the other tools on this site, our id card maker homepage has the standard version without QR code and several other formats.

The Four Card Formats — Which One Should You Use?

Each format is designed around a real-world use case. The layout — where the photo sits, where the QR code goes, how much space the fields get — follows conventions used by actual organisations and venues.

QR Code ID Card (Default)

This is the general-purpose format. Photo and QR code occupy the left strip; name, ID number, and optional fields fill the right column. The left-strip layout is commonly used on visitor badges and internal organisation badges.

The QR code sits at the bottom-left because most badge holders clip at the top — the QR ends up at the bottom where a handheld scanner can reach it without removing the card from the clip.

Corporate / Employee ID Card

The organisation logo moves to the top of the left strip, above the photo. Designation and department fields are added by default. This layout makes it immediately clear who the person is, what their role is, and which organisation they belong to. Well suited for offices, factories, and similar organisational settings. For a full breakdown of what to include, see our employee ID card format guide.

Student Campus Badge

Portrait orientation. Institution name and logo at the top, photo centered below, student fields (name, roll number, class/course) in the middle, QR code at the bottom. This layout is widely used by schools, colleges, and universities for campus access, library check-in, and event management.

The QR code sits at the bottom because librarians and exam invigilators typically scan cards placed flat on a counter — the QR is right at the bottom edge, easy to reach without flipping the card.

Visitor / Event Pass

Landscape format with the QR code positioned prominently on the right side. The right-side QR is visible at a glance when the pass is held up or clipped to a shirt. Useful for conferences, trade exhibitions, and internal event management.

QR Code on the Card — What It Contains and Why It Matters

The QR code is not decorative. It carries machine-readable card information that can be scanned without manual entry. There are three modes available in this tool:

• From ID Number (default) — the QR encodes only the ID or roll number. Fast to scan, minimal data. Suitable for internal attendance and record systems where the reader already has the database.
• Basic Card Details — the QR includes name, ID number, and all visible fields, for internal organisational workflows where the card needs to carry its own data. Users are responsible for ensuring they have permission to encode any personal data.
• Custom (URL / Text / vCard) — enter a custom destination URL, vCard contact record, or any plain text. Useful for event passes and business cards with QR.

QR code sizing is automatically adjusted per card size to maintain readability. On a standard CR80 card, the QR is sized for general readability by modern smartphone cameras under typical lighting conditions. You do not need to adjust this manually.

Card Size Comparison — Which Size Should You Pick?

Most office badge printers use CR80. If you are making student or employee cards and don't know which size to pick, start there. Below is a quick comparison of the 20 sizes in this tool:

The 10 portrait equivalents of the sizes above are also available in the Card Size dropdown. When you download as PDF, the card renders at the exact physical size of that standard — no resizing needed before printing.

Not sure what size your printer takes? Check the card stock packaging — it will list CR80, CR90, or ISO ID-1/2/3. CR80 and ISO ID-1 are the same dimensions, so they're interchangeable.

Printing Tips — Get a Clean Card on the First Try

The most common printing mistake is selecting "fit to page" in the print dialog, which scales the card and makes it the wrong size. Here's what to do instead:

• Download as PDF, not PNG. PDF preserves the exact physical dimensions. PNG can get rescaled depending on your printer settings and the application you open it in.
• Set print scale to 100% (actual size). In the print dialog, look for "Scale", "Page Scaling", or "Fit" options. Set it to 100% or "None". Do not use "Fit to Page".
• Use card stock, not regular paper. 300–350 gsm card stock gives a professional feel. Most office supply stores sell it in A4 sheets you can cut down. PVC card printers take their own card blanks — check your printer manual for the correct stock.
• Print a test on plain paper first. Cut it to size and compare against your badge holder or lanyard slot before printing on card stock. This catches scaling errors without wasting card stock.
• For professional badge printers: Export as PNG at 300 DPI, then import into your printer's card design software. Do not print the PDF directly from these printers.
• Lamination adds ~0.5 mm. If your badge holder is tight for a CR80 card and you plan to laminate, check that the holder is rated for laminated cards before printing a full batch.

QR Code Not Scanning? Common Fixes

If a phone camera or handheld scanner can't read the QR code on a printed or downloaded card, work through these checks in order:

• The QR content is too long. QR codes that encode a lot of text (long URLs, full vCard records with multiple fields) become denser and harder to scan. Switch the QR mode to "From ID Number" first to confirm the scanner works — if it does, your custom content is too long. Shorten long URLs if needed, or reduce the vCard fields.
• Low contrast after printing. A light-coloured card theme (gold, peach) can reduce the contrast between the QR modules and the background. Switch to a darker theme, or keep the QR area white. QR codes need at least 4:1 contrast ratio to scan reliably.
• Card was printed too small. If the QR code on the printed card is smaller than 13mm × 13mm, most phone cameras struggle with it. Use CR80 or a larger size. If you must use a small card, use "From ID Number" mode — a short number generates a less dense QR.
• Laminate glare. Glossy laminate creates reflections that confuse camera-based scanners. Hold the card at an angle to the light, or switch to matte laminate.
• Scanner app not QR-capable. Some older barcode scanners read only Code 128 or EAN barcodes, not QR codes. Open the phone's native camera app and point it at the QR — most phones from 2018 onward read QR codes natively without any app.

Photo and Image Quality Guide

The quality of the photo on the card depends almost entirely on the image you upload. Here's what works and what doesn't:

• Minimum size: 300 × 400 pixels. Smaller than this and the photo box stretches the image, making it blurry. Passport-style photos from a phone camera (taken in good light) are almost always large enough.
• Plain background works best. A white or light grey background keeps the card looking clean. Busy backgrounds can make the card look cluttered, especially on smaller sizes.
• File size under 2 MB. Very large files (5 MB+) can slow down the browser rendering. If your photo is from a high-resolution camera, compress it first using an image compression tool — quality looks the same at 300–400 KB for a card-sized photo.
• JPG vs PNG for photos: JPG is fine. PNG is fine. WebP is also supported. Avoid BMP or TIFF — convert those to JPG first.
• Logo quality: Use a PNG with a transparent background for the best result. A white-background logo on a coloured card theme looks like a white box. If your logo only exists on a white background, match the card theme colour to white or near-white.
• Signature upload: Scan or photograph your signature on white paper, crop tightly, and use a PNG. If using a phone photo, increase the contrast in any photo editing app before uploading.

Common Mistakes — and How to Avoid Them

• Printing at "Fit to Page" instead of 100%. This is the single most common mistake. The card comes out 10–15% larger or smaller than the correct size. Always print at actual size / 100% scale.
• Choosing portrait size for a landscape printer tray. Some printers won't rotate portrait cards automatically. If your card prints sideways, rotate it in the PDF viewer before printing, or switch the card orientation in this tool.
• Using a very small or very long QR content string. Long strings (full addresses, long URLs) make the QR code dense and hard to scan. Short strings (ID numbers, shortened URLs) scan faster and more reliably.
• Leaving placeholder text on the card. The "Name" and "Organization Name" placeholders are greyed out — they disappear when you click and type. If you download without clicking those fields first, the placeholders won't appear, but the field will be blank. Click every field and confirm it shows your intended text before downloading.
• Downloading PNG for PVC card printing. If you're sending the card to a PVC badge printer, download as PNG at the highest available quality. PDF works for most printers but some PVC printer software imports only image files. Check with your printer vendor before the final run.
• Not checking the live preview before downloading. The live preview on the right updates as you make changes. Scroll down to see it before downloading — it shows exactly what the downloaded card will look like.

For more layout and design guidance, see our ID card design tips guide.

More Badge & Card Tools

If you need a badge without a QR code, or want to explore different layouts, the badge card maker on our homepage has additional formats and a simpler interface.

• How to Make a Badge Card Online — full guide
• Employee Badge Card Format — what to include and why
• Badge Card Design Tips — layout, fonts, and colour
• Badge Card Format Guide — all standard layouts explained