# vCard QR code saves a truncated contact

> QR decoding is all-or-nothing, so a truncated contact means the payload was cut before the code was made: a generator field cap or a density-driven trim. A full vCard runs 600–1,000 bytes, forcing version 19–26 codes. Trim to essentials, or encode a short URL to a hosted contact page instead.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/troubleshooting/vcard-qr-code-truncated-contact · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

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## A scan never truncates: generation does

Start with the fact that narrows the search:
[Reed–Solomon decoding](/glossary/reed-solomon) is all-or-nothing. A QR code either yields
its complete payload or fails entirely; there is no partial read. So when a saved contact
is missing the second half of a note, or the address stops mid-street, the payload itself
was already cut **before the code was rendered**.

That leaves exactly three suspects:

1. **A generator field cap.** Many web generators silently limit field lengths or total
   payload size and truncate what you typed, no error, just a shorter vCard.
2. **A density-driven trim.** Some tools cap the QR version they will emit and cut the
   payload to fit, again silently.
3. **The address book dropped whole fields on import.** That is a different failure with
   different fixes (unescaped punctuation, missing `FN`, version mismatches) covered in
   [vCard imports with wrong fields](/docs/troubleshooting/vcard-qr-code-imports-wrong).
   Rule of thumb: values cut mid-word point at generation; whole properties vanishing
   points at import.

Decode your printed code with our [scanner](/scan) and read the raw text. If the vCard is
already incomplete in the payload, you have confirmed a generation cut.

## Why generators cut: the density maths

A vCard is verbose, and every byte raises the QR
[version](/glossary/version). Byte counts below are typical for the listed content, with
the version each needs at error correction level M (see the full
[capacity table](/docs/reference/qr-code-capacity-table)):

| Contact content | Payload | Version (EC M) | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name, one phone | ~100 bytes | 6 | 41×41 |
| Name, org, title, 2 phones, 2 emails, URL | ~300 bytes | 13 | 69×69 |
| Plus address, note, photo URL, socials | ~650 bytes | 20 | 97×97 |
| Everything, generously filled | ~1,000 bytes | 26 | 121×121 |

A version 20+ code has modules so small at business-card size that it is
[too dense to scan reliably](/docs/troubleshooting/qr-code-too-dense-to-scan), a 2 cm
print of a 97×97 grid gives modules of about **0.19 mm**, well under the 0.4 mm print
floor. Generators know this, which is why some quietly cut. The honest ones error instead.

## The fixes

**Trim to the fields that earn their bytes.** Name, one phone, one email, one URL. Drop
the note, the photo URL and the social links, the photo and socials are the heaviest
fields and the least likely to survive import anyway. A [MeCard](/mecard-qr-code) encodes
the same core fields in roughly 30–40% fewer bytes if you need the smallest possible code.

**Or stop encoding the contact at all.** Encode a short URL to a hosted contact page with
a `.vcf` download link. The payload drops to ~30 bytes (a version 2–3 code), and the
contact can be as rich as you like, updated after printing, and identical for every format
of card. This is the right answer for any contact that will not fit version 13 or so.

**Then rebuild without caps.** UseQR's [vCard generator](/vcard-qr-code) builds the full
RFC 6350 payload from what you enter. Nothing is silently dropped or shortened; the
builder folds lines at 75 octets and escapes punctuation per the spec. Verify the result
by decoding it and reading every field back before you print.

## FAQ

### Why is my vCard QR code contact cut off?
Because the payload was cut before the code was generated, a scan cannot truncate; it either returns everything or fails. Some generators silently cap field lengths or total size. Decode the code and read the raw vCard to confirm where the cut happened.

### How much contact information fits in a QR code?
The hard ceiling is 2,953 bytes, but the practical limit is far lower: around 300 bytes (a name, organisation, two phones, two emails and a URL) keeps the code at version 13 and printable at business-card size.

### Should I use a vCard QR code or a link to a contact page?
For a few core fields, a direct vCard works offline and saves in one tap. For a rich contact (photo, address, socials) encode a short URL to a hosted page with a .vcf download; the code stays small and the details stay editable.

### Is MeCard smaller than vCard?
Yes, typically 30–40% smaller for the same core fields, because its syntax is terser. It supports fewer field types, so it suits name-phone-email codes; anything richer needs vCard or the URL-to-contact-page pattern.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/vcard
- https://useqr.app/mecard
- https://useqr.app/scan
- https://useqr.app/validate