QR code SVG for laser engraving and cutting
A normal QR export is a pile of separate shapes and clipping masks. The cut-ready SVG here is one single outline at the real size in millimeters, so it imports cleanly into laser software. Free, and your link never leaves your browser.
Step by step
- Paste your link — Open the generator and paste the link or text. A shorter link makes a simpler code with bigger modules, which is easier to engrave.
- Pick the size — Choose Small (45 mm), Medium (60 mm) or Large (80 mm). Every module is the code width divided by the number of modules: a 25-module code at 60 mm has 2.4 mm modules.
- Leave error correction on Auto — Higher levels survive more damage but make a denser code, which means smaller modules at the same size. Raise it only if you expect wear.
- Download the cut-ready SVG — Click “SVG · cut-ready”. The file comes out named like qr-your-link-cut-ready.svg.
- Import it at 100% and test on scrap — Open it in any program that imports standard SVG files and keep the size as it is. Engrave a test on a scrap of the same material, then scan it with two phones before the real piece.
What the cut-ready SVG contains
- One path — a single compound outline with the even-odd fill rule and a black fill. No background rectangle, no clipping masks, no circles and no embedded images.
- Square modules only — rounded and dot styles are for the screen and the 3D print; the cut file always uses squares, which are the simplest shapes to engrave or cut.
- The real size — the code is as wide as the size you choose (45, 60 or 80 mm), written in millimeters in the file, plus an empty margin of four modules on every side as the quiet zone.
- No center logo — a logo in the middle would cover modules, so it is left out of this file.
For comparison, the regular SVG download from the same generator is built from separate rectangles, paths, circles and clipping masks. It looks the same on screen, but it is not a clean outline.
Engrave or cut all the way through?
Engraving fills the shapes, so the code can be burned or marked onto the surface. It is the safe choice for a QR on wood, acrylic, leather or metal.
Cutting through a QR does not work as a stencil: the square inside each of the three corner markers and every other enclosed piece would simply fall out. If you want a cut QR, cut vinyl or film and use transfer tape, or add the connecting bridges by hand. Modules that touch only at a corner stay as one outline touching itself at that point, and that corner is fragile in a very small cut, so make the code larger.
How small can the modules be?
There is no standard minimum for laser-engraved QR modules. It depends on the laser spot size, power, speed and the material, and the figures published by individual makers differ a lot. Treat any number you read as a starting point, not a rule, and always test on scrap.
- Make modules bigger instead of fighting the limit — shorten the link, pick the Large size and keep error correction on Auto.
- Contrast matters more than detail — the engraved area has to look clearly different from the untouched surface when you scan it in normal light.
- Keep the quiet zone — the empty margin of four modules around the code is part of the code.
More on size and contrast in the size and contrast guide and the common mistakes checklist. If you cut vinyl instead, see the guide for vinyl cutters.
QR Code SVG for Laser Engraving and Cutting — FAQ
Does the SVG include a background?
No. It is a single black path with nothing behind it, so you decide what the material shows around the code. The empty margin is part of the file size.
What size will the file import at?
The width and height are written in millimeters: the code width you chose (45, 60 or 80 mm) plus four modules of quiet zone on each side. Import it at 100%.
Can I cut a QR code all the way through?
Not as a stencil, because the inner squares of the corner markers and other enclosed pieces fall out. Engrave it, or cut vinyl or film and use transfer tape.
Which laser software and machines does it work with?
Any program that imports standard SVG files should open it. We have not tested specific machines or programs, so check the preview and engrave a test on scrap first.
Why only square modules in this file?
Squares merge cleanly into one outline and are the simplest shapes for a laser to follow. The rounded and dot styles stay available for the screen, the PNG and the 3D print.
Is my link uploaded anywhere?
No. The code and the SVG are generated in your browser and your link is never sent to a server.
Free 3D printing tools
- 3D text generator for name plates and keychains — type a name or a word and download a print-ready STL or 3MF.
- SVG to STL and 3MF converter for logos — turn a simple SVG logo or icon into a printable 3D model.
- Lithophane maker for your photos — turn a photo into a flat lithophane to print as an STL or 3MF.