NOTE: QR Perfect is a legacy product and no longer under active development. For a modern alternative, see our QR Code extensions and plugins available for:

You can also try our brand new Online QR Code Generator - free, no registration required.

Softmatic QR Perfect - QR Code Generator with Logo

Make your own QR codes with Softmatic QR Perfect. Encode VCards, URLs, calendar events or plain data. Save QR codes to file as vector PDF or PNG / JPEG simply copy the code to the clipboard. Embed logos or images, set colors and styles.

QR Code Generator App - Download



Note: App has been updated for macOS Big Sur and Apple Silicon. Please download the latest version from the Updates-tab in the Mac App Store.

Latest update

V2.50 is now available in the Mac App Store. What's new:
  • NEW: Support for Apple Silicon
  • FIX: Improved access to Google maps
    QR Perfect Geo Location
  • FIX: Faster code generation
  • FIX: Corrects an issue with macOS "Big Sur"
  • REMOVED: Direct access to the adresss book and contacts is no longer available for privacy reasons; VCards can still be encoded by entering the data manually

Softmatic QR Perfect Features

Softmatic QR Perfect lets you specify foreground and background colors and supports linear and radial gradients for foreground and background. Choose from five different dot styles, enhance your codes with drop shadows or embed your company logo. Use square or rounded dots. The possibilities are endless. A built-in QR reader verifies the created QR codes in real-time.

Choose from four ECC levels for maximum reliability. All settings, styles and the encoded data are maintained between sessions. Styles can also be saved for later use, so it's easy to have different styles for private or business purposes.

Softmatic QR Perfect is fully unicode-compatible and supports foreign language alphabets, accented and diacritical characters, and umlauts.

Softmatic QR Perfect Workflow

Let's start with arbitrary data. Select the Text tab. To create a QR code simply type or paste your data into the field on the left. Note, that the QR code in the preview window is generated in real time as you type. The built-in reader will continuously verify the code as it is created.



Softmatic QR Perfect is fully unicode compatible and will automatically chose the correct encoding based on the given data. Even foreign language characters (like japanese Kanjis or Kanas) are simply typed or pasted in.

Note: Not all barcode readers or reader apps can read / decode non-ASCII data.

Here's the code from the screenshot above, decoded by Zxing. As you can see the umlauts and japanese characters were recognized correctly:

Softmatic QR Perfect Formatted Data

Softmatic QR Perfect can auto-create QR codes for some applications, like VCards or VEvents. Simply select the respective tab.
  • VCard

    Creates a VCard Level 3 compatible code from a name, email, phone no. and address data.
     
  • VEvent

    Creates a VEvent Level 3 compatible code with start and end date, summary, description and location.
     
  • URL

    Creates a code containing a URL. Simply enter or paste your URL into the field. To shorten the URL with bit.ly, use the Shorten button (requires online access).
     
  • Email

    Creates a code containing a mailto: prefix together with an email address you provide.
     
  • WiFi

    Creates a code containing a WiFi SSID, type of encryption and password.

    Note: This structure is not standardized and may change in the future.
     
  • Geo

    Creates a code containing a geo: prefix together with a latitude and a longitude.

    Enter a place name, address or landmark in the search field. As you type the app will list suggestions in the table below the search field. Select an entry to load the map. Use the mouse and scrollwheel to move and zoom the map. The location and the generated code changes as you move or zoom the map. The coordinates shown and encoded refer to the center of the map.

Softmatic QR Perfect Styles & Colors

To open the styles panel, click the Styles... button.



The panel is divided into four sections:
  • Dots

    Sets the color, style and roundness of the dots.
     
  • Finder Pattern

    Sets the color and style of the finder patterns (in the top left, top right and bottom left corners of a QR symbol).
     
  • Background

    Sets the color of the background. You can also select one of the shadow options (soft, i.e. blurred, or hard shadow). when the shadow is enabled you can also specify the direction and the size of the drop shadow. Larger shadows will negatively affect the readability of a code.
     
  • Image

    To embed an image in the code, drag an image from the Finder on to the green cross. The image is loaded and added to the code (see the discussion below). You can vary the size of the image between 10 and 100%. To remove an image, click the round button marked with an "x".
Most options should be self explanatory. The little color wells open a standard OS X color panel.

Use the Save... and Load... buttons to save and load style settings. All settings you make in this panel are saved, including the image, if any. This is a very useful feature if you have different requirements, e.g. if you are making codes for business or private purposes.

Three points to note:

1. In principle you can create a white code on black background, however, not all readers or reader apps support inverted or negative codes.

2. Make sure to use high contrast color combinations, black on white - excellent, orange on yellow - not so much. If you use gradients for the background or foreground make sure that the color doesn't change to much - light blue to medium blue would be ok, black to white will likely confuse reader apps.

3. We found that several online reader apps have problems with transparent backgrounds.

See also the discussion on output formats further below.

Softmatic QR Perfect Embedding Logos and Images

One outstanding feature of QR is the very capable error correction. When set to the highest level, even codes where 30% of the area are missing or damaged can still be recognized.

Softmatic QR Perfect supports embedding logos & images in all common image file formats (TIFF, PNG, JPEG etc.). Please consider the following best practices when embedding an image:
  • Always use ECC settings H or Q for maximum protection
     
  • You will get the best quality if you have an image that does not require scaling down
     
  • Although the code is verified with the built-in reader, consider testing the resulting code against a variety of online and offline reader apps
By default the image is centered within the QR code. Use the arrow buttons below the preview to change the position of the image.

Tip: If you want to embed your logo in third party software (e.g. Photoshop), simply use a white square as an image in QR Perfect and adjust it to the proper size. This will leave an empty space in the center of the code where you can then place your artwork.

Softmatic QR Perfect ECC Levels

QR supports four levels of error correction capability (ECC):
  • L - can reconstruct a symbol with ~7% of the area missing or damaged
  • M - can reconstruct a symbol with ~15% of the area missing or damaged
  • Q - can reconstruct a symbol with ~22% of the area missing or damaged
  • H - can reconstruct a symbol with ~30% of the area missing or damaged
The default in Softmatic QR Perfect is M, suitable for most applications. Use Q or H if you want embed an image as noted above.

Softmatic QR Perfect Supported Formats

Saving to file

Softmatic QR Perfect supports the following file formats
  • PNG

    Codes are created with foreground and background color. Both colors honor transparency / opacity if so specified in the color panel. PNG is the preferred format if the QR codes are to be displayed in a browser window or in an app.
     
  • TIFF

    Codes are created with foreground and background color. Both colors honor transparency / opacity if so specified in the color panel.
     
  • JPEG

    Codes are created with foreground and background color. JPEG does not support transparency.
     
  • GIF

    Codes are created with foreground and background color. Both colors honor transparency / opacity if so specified in the color panel. GIF only supports a 256 color palette; avoid using gradients when using this format.
     
  • PDF

    Codes are created with foreground and background color. Only the foreground color honors transparency / opacity if so specified in the color panel. When combining a drop shadow and a foreground gradient, the dropshadow will not be written into the PDF. This is a limitation of OS X PDF rendering. The "tiled" style for dots is currently not supported with PDF export.

    Note: Images and icons are embedded in raster form into the PDF. For best quality use the highest moduke size and images that are at least 512px wide.
     
Copying to clipboard

Codes are always copied to the clipboard as PNG, no matter what output format is actually selected. Codes are created with foreground and background color. Both colors honor transparency / opacity if so specified in the color panel.

Note: Some applications discard the transparency of a PNG when pasted from the clipboard.

If you are experiencing issues, please let us know: In Softmatic QR Perfect select Help > Send Feedback... and describe the problem you have. Thanks!

Showcase: Colored QR Codes with logos, gradients, other styles

QR Code with lion head logo

QR Code with lion head logo

QR Code with paint logo

QR Code with paint logo

QR Code with Deutsche Bank logo

QR Code with Deutsche Bank logo

QR Code with Audi logo

QR Code with Audi logo

QR Code with Kraft logo

QR Code with Kraft logo

QR Code with extremely ugly gradient

QR Code with gradient

QR Code with KFC logo

QR Code with KFC logo

QR Code with transparent cross

QR Code with transparent cross

QR Code with hearts

QR Code with hearts

For illustration only. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

QR Code Generator App - Download

 

NEW Create QR Codes with Logos, Icons directly in Photoshop

Make sure to also see our new QR Designer for Photoshop CC. Quick and easy QR codes directly in your PSD file. Choose from a dozen styles, millions of colors and easily embed logos, icons or images in the code.

More info...