Type a URL. See its QR version.
The ISO/IEC 18004 standard assigns a QR "version" to each data length. The higher the version, the denser the QR, and the less readable it is from a distance. Type any URL below to see in real time which version it lands on, and estimate its actual scan range.
Try: · ·
https://ftbl.fr
Characters
15
QR version
1
Modules
21 × 21
Jumbotron range 5 m
~50 m
✓ Readable up to row 35 at the Stade de France.
Understanding QR versions
Why Version 1 changes everything.
The ISO/IEC 18004 standard defines 40 QR code versions, from 1 (least dense) to 40 (densest). Each version maps to a grid of modules (black/white squares): 21×21 for Version 1, 177×177 for Version 40.
At equal print size, the lower the version, the bigger each module, and the further away the QR can be read. The rule of thumb: one module should measure about 1 mm per metre of expected scan distance.
In practice, if you print a 30 cm QR on an urban billboard:
- Version 1 (21×21): ~14 mm modules → ~14 m range
- Version 3 (29×29): ~10 mm modules → ~10 m range
- Version 5 (37×37): ~8 mm modules → ~8 m range
Version 1 only accepts a 17-character URL in strict alphanumeric mode, or ~25 characters in binary mode (standard URL with https://). FTBL.fr fits. Most marketing URLs do not.