How to Make a QR Code in Canva: Static or Dynamic

A QR code is the easiest bridge between something printed and something online. A menu, a flyer, a market stall banner, a business card: one scan and your customer lands on the right page. Canva has QR codes built in, so you can design the code inside the same layout as the rest of your artwork.

The choice that matters most is static or dynamic, because it decides whether you can change the link later. I'll cover both, using Canva's help centre, plus the size and contrast rules that stop a code failing at the print shop.

Two ways to find the QR code tool in Canva

The help centre describes two starting points inside the editor:

• Apps: select Apps in the side panel and search for QR code.
• Elements: search for QR code in Elements, then use the banner to choose Create static or Create dynamic.

Either route gets you to the same place. You'll be asked to choose between a static and a dynamic code, so it's worth understanding the difference first.

Static or dynamic: which QR code type to pick in Canva

This is where people go wrong, so read it twice. Canva says a static QR code can't have its link changed after creation, has no scan tracking, and never includes the Canva logo. A dynamic code lets you change the destination later without reprinting.

Question	Static code	Dynamic code
Can I change the link afterwards?	No	Yes, without reprinting
Does it track scans?	No	Insights are on Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans
Does it carry the Canva logo?	Never	On Free, Pro and Education it includes the Canva logo by default
Good for	A link that will never change	Anything printed that may need updating

My rule of thumb: if the code goes on something you can't easily replace, such as packaging, a van or a run of printed menus, a dynamic code gives you a safety net. If it's for a one-off event poster, static is simpler.

Making a static QR code in Canva, step by step

1. Open your design.
2. Select Apps, search for QR code, and choose Static.
3. Enter the full web address you want people to land on.
4. Select Save.
5. Resize and position the code on your page.

Check the link twice before you save, because a static code can't be edited. If there's a typo, you'll need to make a new code. Canva's help says static customisation is limited to colours and margin.

Making a dynamic QR code in Canva

The steps match the static route, with one extra choice. After you pick Dynamic, you choose a pattern first and can give the code a name, then enter the URL and select Save. Canva says you can also reuse a dynamic code after its original purpose ends, by pointing it somewhere new.

On Free, Pro and Education plans you can edit the destination, colour and pattern of a dynamic code, according to the help page. Brand Kit colours need Pro or higher. Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans add Insights, custom logo uploads, removing the Canva logo and expiry dates.

Making your Canva QR code scan reliably

A good-looking code that won't scan is worse than a plain one. Canva's help gives specific advice:

• Use a minimum size of 2 x 2 cm (0.79 x 0.79 in).
• Shorten the URL, since shorter links make more reliable codes.
• Use strong colour contrast and avoid transparency. If contrast isn't possible, add a solid border in a different colour.
• Keep other content off and around the code.
• Leave a quiet zone of blank space at least four times the width of one module.

Canva also says pattern and corner styles don't affect scannability, so you can be creative there. Changing the visual design of a code that's already printed means reprinting it, so settle the look before you send anything to the printer. And scan the finished design with a couple of phones from a normal distance before you commit.

Using a Canva QR code on flyers, menus and cards

A QR code needs a reason to be scanned. Put a short line beside it, such as the page it leads to, so people know what they're getting. Send people to a mobile-friendly page, because that's where the scan lands. If your customers are on Facebook, my explainer on where to find a QR code for your Facebook Page covers a ready-made one, and my Canva review with what to check first helps you judge the rest of the tool.

Managing or deleting a QR code you made in Canva

Collaborators can remove a code from a design, but only the owner can delete it, according to the help centre. Where the Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit Insights are available, they show total scans, unique scans, locations and device types. People with edit access in the same brand can view them, and people from a different brand can't.

If the QR code option is missing in Canva

• Search for QR code in both Apps and Elements, because the two routes show it in different ways.
• If a feature shows an upgrade prompt, it belongs to a higher plan, as with Insights or custom logos.
• Update or refresh the editor if the search returns nothing.

Features change between versions, so if Canva's screen differs from the steps above, check its help centre for the current wording.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a QR code in Canva?

Open your design, select Apps, search for QR code, choose Static or Dynamic, enter your URL and select Save. You can also search QR code in Elements.

What's the difference between static and dynamic QR codes in Canva?

A static code can't be edited after creation and has no scan tracking. A dynamic code lets you change the destination later without reprinting.

What size should a Canva QR code be?

Canva recommends a minimum size of 2 x 2 cm (0.79 x 0.79 in), with strong contrast and blank space around it.

Does a Canva QR code include the Canva logo?

Static codes never include it. Dynamic codes on Free, Pro and Education plans include it by default, and removing it needs Business, Enterprise or Nonprofit.

Who can delete a QR code in Canva?

Only the owner can delete it. Collaborators can remove a code from a design.