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How to create QR Code in Illustrator

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
November 15, 2023
6 replies
63322 views

I'm working on a project. I would like to insert a QR code. Is there a way to generate it in illustrator?

How-to

Correct answer Michael Ambroise

You can generate it in Indesign and import it into your project on Illustrator as a vector.
To do this in Indesign, go to Object > Generate Code.

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Elisabeth M

Participant

I've been using the generate in InDesign and paste into Illustrator route, but recently discovered that I can make a QR code at create.vista.com and it allows me to put a logo at the center. It can be saved as png or svg. I needed to change the color of the vector object when I opened it in Illustrator, but that was the only edit. I was also able to replace the logo at the center with a vector logo.

Not sure why Adobe doesn't have all those features, but I haven't installed the latest upgrade, so maybe it's been added.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

That is an InDesign solution, does not work that way in Illustrator.

Doug A Roberts

Community Expert

For some reason ChatGPT has its wires crossed. Copilot got the answer right though.

@jeanquinlan Test your answers, don't rely solely on AI.

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Lucky Onion

Participant

Hi! Do you know how to generate a QR code with a logo in the middle?

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Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

The QR code generators I've seen that allow icons, logos or whatever to be placed in the middle merely lay the graphical object over some data spots in the center. That's the case for the QR code generator built into CorelDRAW. The error correction built into the code is able to factor in the data spots hidden by the graphical item.

I haven't tried manually center-aligning small logos or icons in the middle of QR codes created in either InDesign or Adobe Express. Results could be hit or miss depending on the kind of error correction (or lack thereof) included in the code.

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Elisabeth M

Participant

I tried adding a logo to the center of a code generated in InDesign, and it worked on my phone but did not work on my client's phone.

Mike_Gondek10189183

Community Expert

You can also right-click in Google Chrome on any page and choose

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Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

The QR Code feature in Chrome can be convenient for some users. I just don't like the visual style of those codes. They download as PNG images; a vector format like SVG doesn't appear to be an option.

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Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

Another alternative: the QR Code generator in Adobe Express:
https://new.express.adobe.com/tools/generate-qr-code

It will let you download a SVG version of the code that can be placed in Illustrator.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

These codes need to be cleaned up. Here's how: https://youtu.be/KQUrluJ5CU4

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Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

I don't understand why Express is generating SVG files of QR Codes in that manner. Thankfully the clean-up process doesn't take long, but such a thing shouldn't be necessary either.

Astute Graphics' Vector First Aid plugin isn't of much help cleaning up those QR Codes. Strangely, it sees no issues with the QR Code art when the SVG file is initially placed, even though the artwork is invisible. If the clipping groups are released Vector First Aid will see a bunch of unfilled and unpainted paths it wants to delete. That would delete all the QR Code data spots. So the QR Code artwork has to be cleaned-up manually. On the bright side, Vector First Aid can quickly delete the unnecessary anchor points after the QR Code data tiles are welded together using the Unite command.

The QR Code generator in Adobe InDesign is pretty basic, but the exported artwork is more clean than the code artwork from Adobe Express.

CorelDRAW has a built-in QR Code/Barcode generator. The QR Code feature has a lot of useful settings. The codes can be one of 8 message types (including Web URL). The QR Code pixels can be changed from squares into circles, diamonds or stars (other custom shapes can be applied to the data spots using CorelDRAW's Pointillizer filter). If squares are used they can be welded automatically. There is a corner roundness setting for squares. There are four error correction levels that can be used to generate codes (low, medium, quartile and high). There is a code validation feature. Logos/icons can be placed in the middle of the QR Code artwork. No clipping masks/groups are generated in the code artwork. If Adobe does incorporate a QR Code generator into Illustrator it should emulate or even improve what Corel did with its QR Code generator.