Codeshed guides

Everything we have learned about making codes that work the first time. No sign-up, nothing to buy.

• How to make a Wi-Fi QR code that actually connects

  What goes inside a Wi-Fi QR code, the characters that break it, and how to share your network so guests connect first time.

• Which barcode should I use?

  A plain guide to EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 128, Code 39, ITF-14, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec, and when each one is wrong.

• How big should a QR code be?

  The 1:10 distance rule, the quiet zone, minimum sizes for cards and posters, and why some codes never scan.

• Do QR codes expire? Static vs dynamic, explained honestly

  Static QR codes never expire; dynamic ones stop working when the service or trial behind them ends. How each works, what you give up, and the middle path.

• Getting codes to print properly

  Vector versus PNG, CMYK colour shift, ink spread, gloss reflections, curved surfaces and a pre-print checklist.

Still stuck?

The questions page covers the things people ask most often, from file formats to whether a printed code can be changed later.

Codeshed is a trading name of Third Coffee Studio Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 17517422.