Gift Tag QR Code
"To" and "From" fit on any tag — the part you actually want to say never does. Put it in the code: a private message that appears when they scan, or a link to the video where you explain why this gift, why now. The classic frame recolors to match your wrapping paper, the caption line says "For you", and the artwork is decode-verified in your browser before you print a sheet of them.
Keepsake print checklist
- Keep the white margin around the code — it is the quiet zone scanners need, not empty space to crop.
- Size for the moment: 2 × 2 cm of code is the floor for cards and tags; photo-woven codes reward 4 cm or more; distant reveals want one tenth of the scanning distance.
- Matte paper over gloss — glare is the most common keepsake scan failure.
- Scan a test print with a real phone before the moment that matters.
A worked example, rendered by the real engine
Built at build time by the engine behind the tool above — classic frame in a wrapping-red, message inside the code. Scan it from the screen and it reads:
This one took months to find. I hope it makes you laugh as hard as Lisbon did. - M
Version 8 at 49×49 modules, error correction H. No internet involved — the words live in the modules.
From download to a tag on the bow
- Write short, print big. A two-line message keeps the code coarse enough for tag scale. Watch the version readout under the preview — smaller numbers mean chunkier, more forgiving modules.
- Match the paper. The frame color control accepts any deep shade — pull the darkest color from your wrapping paper. The code itself stays black-on-white; only the frame dresses up.
- Print at 300 DPI on matte cardstock. The 1024 px PNG prints a sharp 8.6 cm artwork; a sheet of six fits A4. Cut outside the frame border, punch outside the panel, thread the ribbon.
- Test-scan the finished tag, sealed and curled. On the box, under the tree lights, with ribbon shadowing one corner — thirty seconds now beats a shrugging recipient later.
Tag sizing quick reference
- Standard swing tag (5 × 9 cm): code at 2.5–3 cm — the sweet spot.
- Square favor tag (6 × 6 cm): the framed artwork scaled to fit works as the whole tag face.
- Mini tag (4 × 4 cm): skip the frame; use the bare code or heart modules at 2.5 cm+ so the symbol keeps its size.
- Gift bag panel: go bigger than you think — 5 cm+ scans from a held bag without crouching.
Gift tag code FAQ
Message in the code or a link — which suits a gift tag?
A message-in-code tag works forever with no internet: the recipient scans and your words appear, even years later when the box resurfaces in an attic. A link tag can open a video of you explaining the gift — richer, but it depends on the destination staying online. Rule of thumb: sentiment as text, performance as link.
Where do I punch the hole without breaking the code?
Punch through the frame art margin, never through the code panel or the white margin around the code — that white quiet zone is part of the symbol. The classic frame leaves comfortable corner room; top-center above the frame border is the safest spot.
Will the code scan through glossy wrapping paper or tape?
Do not laminate the code with regular tape or cover it in glossy film if you can avoid it — glare is the number one tag-scan killer. If the tag must be sealed, use matte tape over the code area, and always test-scan the finished, sealed tag under a ceiling light before it goes on the box.
How small can a gift tag code go?
Hold a 2 cm minimum for the code itself, which means roughly a 5 × 6 cm tag once the frame is included. Shorter messages help: fewer characters produce a coarser grid that stays reliable at tag scale. Below 2 cm you are gambling on the scanning phone.
Can I print one code for every present?
Yes — the download is yours to print any number of times, and a sheet of identical tags cuts cleanly from one PNG at 300 DPI. For per-person messages, generate each tag separately: the tool is free precisely so "one code per gift" costs nothing but minutes.
Tagging a valentine? The valentine code makes the message itself out of hearts. Wrapping a reveal? The baby reveal code choreographs the scan-together moment — and a treasure hunt can make them earn the box first.