How to Create a QR Code for a Business Card (vCard)
Handing someone a business card works — but asking them to manually type your phone number and email into their contacts is friction. A vCard QR code solves this: one scan adds your full contact details to their phone automatically.
What Is a vCard QR Code?
A vCard (Virtual Contact File) is a standardised format for contact information — name, phone, email, organisation, address, website, and more. A vCard QR code encodes this contact data directly into the QR code.
When someone scans it with an iPhone or Android camera, the operating system recognises the vCard format and offers to add the contact to their address book — no app needed, no manual typing.
What Information Can a vCard QR Code Hold?
✓ Full name (first + last)
✓ Job title and organisation
✓ Phone numbers (mobile, work, fax)
✓ Email addresses
✓ Website URL
✓ Physical address
✓ LinkedIn or social profile URL
✓ Profile photo (as base64)
✓ Birthday
✓ Notes / bio
How to Create a vCard QR Code (Step by Step)
- Open our vCard QR Code Generator
- Fill in your contact details — name, phone, email, and any other fields you want to include
- Click Generate QR Code
- Download the QR code as a PNG file
- Add it to your business card design — place it in a corner or on the back
Privacy
The QR code is generated entirely in your browser. Your contact details are never sent to any server — they're encoded locally into the QR image.
vCard QR Code vs URL QR Code for Business Cards
vCard QR Code
- Contact info stored directly in the code
- Works offline — no internet needed to scan
- Can't be updated after printing
- Ideal for: physical business cards
URL QR Code (to a digital card)
- Links to a webpage (e.g. LinkedIn, bio page)
- Can be updated without reprinting
- Requires internet to scan
- Ideal for: permanent cards, evolving info
Design Tips for Business Card QR Codes
- Minimum size: 2×2 cm (about 0.8 inches square) for reliable scanning
- Keep high contrast — dark QR on white or light background works best
- Add a small label underneath: "Scan to save contact" helps recipients understand what to do
- Test scanning before printing — try with both iPhone and Android
- Avoid placing the QR code in the fold of a card or near perforations
Create your vCard QR code — free