What is the vCard format and which versions are relevant?

vCard is an electronic business card format defined by RFC 6350 (version 4.0) and its predecessor RFC 2426 (version 3.0). It encodes contact information as a structured plain-text file with fields for name (FN and N properties), telephone (TEL), email (EMAIL), organisation (ORG), address (ADR), URL, photo, and many others. Version 3.0 is the most widely compatible choice for QR codes because it is supported by all major address book applications on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. Version 4.0 adds support for additional data types including multiple languages and URI-based media, but compatibility is less universal on older devices.

How much contact data can fit in a QR code?

A typical vCard with name, one phone number, one email address, and a URL encodes to approximately 150–250 bytes, fitting comfortably within a Version 5 or 6 QR code at Level M. A vCard with multiple phone numbers, multiple addresses, a physical mailing address, and a base64-encoded photo thumbnail may exceed 2,000 bytes, requiring a Version 20 or higher code. For high-data-density vCards, it is preferable to omit the photo from the QR encoding and use a URL pointing to an online contact profile instead. Limiting the vCard to essential fields keeps the code small and easy to scan.

How should special characters in names or addresses be handled?

The vCard format uses backslash escaping for commas, semicolons, backslashes, and newlines within property values, following the RFC 6350 specification. For example, a name value containing a comma must be written as \, and a multi-line address uses \n for line breaks within the ADR property value. Non-ASCII characters should be encoded as UTF-8, and the vCard should declare CHARSET=UTF-8 in Version 3.0 or rely on the default UTF-8 encoding of Version 4.0. Failure to escape special characters can cause the address book application to misparse the vCard structure and produce garbled contact entries.

Which QR code scanning apps correctly import vCard data?

Most platform-native camera and QR scanning apps on iOS 11+ and Android 10+ recognise the BEGIN:VCARD header and offer to add the decoded contact to the address book. Third-party QR scanners vary in vCard support: some decode the raw text without triggering the contact import dialogue, requiring the user to manually copy fields. For maximum compatibility, encode the vCard in Version 3.0 with UTF-8 encoding and test the generated code with both an iOS Camera app and a recent Android device before distribution.

Is there a benefit to using a QR code versus an NFC tag for contact sharing?

QR codes are printable and cost-free to reproduce, making them practical for business cards, posters, and presentations. NFC tags require a physical chip embedded in a card or sticker, adding material cost, but offer a tap-rather-than-scan interaction that some users find more natural. QR codes are universally decodable with a camera; NFC requires a compatible reader, which is present on most modern smartphones but absent on some older devices and computers. For printed collateral, QR is the practical choice; for interactive physical products (smart business cards, event badges), NFC and QR are often used together.