What scanning does
A vCard QR contains a BEGIN:VCARD … END:VCARD block. Most phone cameras recognise it and offer 'Add contact' directly, pre-filling name, company, phone, email and website. It is the fastest handshake at a conference — no app, no typing.
Keep it scannable
vCard payloads grow fast. Every extra field adds characters and modules. If the code looks dense, drop the website or job title, or use a shorter URL. A four-field card scans reliably even at small print sizes.
Where it works well
- Conference badges and slide closing screens
- Email signatures (as an image link)
- Shop counters and service vans
- Freelancer one-pagers and invoices
Privacy note
The contact details are encoded in the image itself. Anyone who photographs your badge can read them — treat a vCard QR as public information, exactly like a printed business card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes — both camera apps recognise vCard QR codes and offer to add the contact.
Can I include a photo?
vCard supports photos but they bloat the payload enormously and make the code unscannable. Use a hosted avatar URL instead.
Why does my code fail to scan?
Usually too much data or too small a print. Remove fields and increase size.
Privacy & Your Data
CSSmith runs entirely in your browser. Whatever you type, paste or upload is processed on your own device and never sent to a server — there is no backend to store it.