The tiny alignment squares

How QR codes work

Chapter 1

The board game inspiration

Chapter 2

Anatomy of the square

Chapter 3

The magic of error correction

Chapter 4

From factory floor to global daily life

YOUR GOAL

Master of How QR codes work

Ch 2 · Anatomy of the square

marcus QR Code Anatomy

Three big corner squares show which way is up! (Which way is up!)

marcus The quiet zone boundary

The quiet zone boundary

marcus A mandatory border of empty space prevents nearby text or images from confusing the scanner.

The tiny alignment squares

marcus Smaller inner squares help scanners adjust for curved or distorted surfaces.

Inside the Square

BETA

marcus Decode the pixel grids to discover how QR codes store and share data.

Fun Fact

Scanning upside down: The three large corner squares allow a QR code to be scanned from any 360-degree angle.

Gossip

Best place for a QR code?

Quiz

What is the minimum width of the blank 'quiet zone' border around a QR code?

marcus The three magic squares

Quiz

What are the three large squares in the corners of a QR code called?

marcus The tiny alignment squares

Quiz

What is the purpose of the blank white border around a QR code?

marcus Timing patterns and grid lines

Quiz

What shape are the modules that make up the data grid of a standard QR code?

Quiz

What do the tiny, smaller squares inside a QR code do?

Quiz

Why can a QR code be successfully scanned even when it is upside down?

Quiz

How does a scanner determine the size of individual pixels in a QR code?

Quiz

What are the alternating black and white tracks between the corner squares called?