QR codes in presentations
Inserting the code is the easy part. Making it scannable from the back of a room, and leaving it up long enough for people to actually do it, is where most slides fall short.
Short answerInsert the QR code as an image — the PNG works in PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Keynote, and recent PowerPoint and Keynote also accept the SVG. Make it fill at least half the slide height so the back rows can scan it, put it on a plain background, and leave it on screen for long enough: show it early and again on the final slide.
Inserting the code
Download the code first, then insert it as a picture. Every presentation app treats a QR code like any other image.
- PowerPoint. Use Insert, then Pictures, and choose the file from your computer. The PNG works in every version; current Microsoft 365 versions also accept the SVG, which stays sharp at any size.
- Google Slides. Use Insert, then Image, then upload from your computer. Use the PNG here — Slides is built around bitmap images and does not reliably take SVG uploads.
- Keynote. Drag the file onto the slide or use the Insert menu. Recent versions of Keynote accept SVG; the PNG works everywhere.
The 1024 × 1024 px PNG from this site is larger than a 1080p slide is tall, so it never needs enlarging on screen. Hold Shift (or use the corner handle) while resizing so it stays square, and do not crop the white border: that is the quiet zone the phone needs. Why the two formats differ is explained in PNG vs SVG.
Sizing for the back row
The same 10:1 rule that applies to print applies to a projector: the code’s projected width should be about a tenth of the distance from the screen to the furthest seat. A code projected 1 m wide reads from about 10 m away. The rule is explained in QR code size for printing.
| Room | Screen height (approx.) | Back row | Code height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting room | 1–1.2 m | 5 m | About half the slide |
| Classroom or seminar room | 1.5–2 m | 10–12 m | Half to two-thirds of the slide |
| Lecture hall or conference room | 2.5–4 m | 20–30 m | Most of the slide height |
In practice: if the code is a small square in the corner of a content slide, only the front rows will scan it. Give it its own slide, as large as the slide allows, with a single line of text beside it. Projectors also lower contrast compared with print — dim rooms help, washed-out ones do not — which is one more reason to go bigger rather than smaller.
Keep the link short. A shorter URL produces fewer, larger modules, which project more clearly and scan from further back.
Timing and slide design
- Leave it up. People need several seconds to notice the code, unlock a phone, open the camera, and aim. Pause and say what it is, rather than clicking past.
- Show it twice. Once early, so people can open the link while you talk, and again on the final slide, which tends to stay on screen during questions.
- Plain background. Black on white, on a white area of the slide. Do not place the code over a photo, a gradient, or a dark theme; see QR code colours.
- No animation. A code that flies in, pulses, or fades is unreadable until it stops. Let it appear with the slide.
- Say what it does. “Scan for the slides” or “Scan to give feedback” next to the code. An unexplained code gets far fewer scans.
- Print the short URL. Put a readable address under the code for anyone whose camera will not focus, or who would rather type it later.
Video calls and shared decks
In a video call or webinar, participants can still scan a code shown on a shared screen by pointing their phone at their monitor. Make the code large on the slide, because the shared window may be scaled down on their side.
For people watching on the same phone they would scan with, a code on screen does not help. Paste the link into the chat as well. Anyone with a screenshot can also decode it afterwards; scanning a QR code from an image explains how.
When you send the deck as a PDF after the talk, the code still works on screen and in print, but a clickable link next to it is friendlier for readers. Codes from this site are static, so the link inside never expires — but it also cannot be changed, so use a page you will keep online. More in static vs dynamic QR codes.
Create a code for your slides in a few seconds:Generate a QR code
Related questions
Create the code, download it, then use Insert and Pictures to place the file on the slide. The PNG works in every version, and current Microsoft 365 versions also accept the SVG. Resize from a corner so it stays square, and keep the white border.
Download the code as a PNG, then use Insert, Image, and upload it from your computer. Make it large — ideally on its own slide — and leave the white margin around it intact.
At least half the slide height in a meeting or seminar room, and most of the slide in a large hall. The projected width should be about a tenth of the distance to the back row.
Long enough for people to unlock their phones and scan — at least several seconds, ideally while you talk about it. Showing it early and again on the closing slide gives everyone two chances.
Yes, by pointing a phone at their screen, as long as the code is large on the shared slide. Also paste the link in the chat for anyone watching on their phone.