rMQR code

Also called: rectangular Micro QR code, rMQR

Definition

An rMQR code is a rectangular Micro QR code for long, narrow spaces. It was developed by DENSO WAVE and standardized as ISO/IEC 23941 in 2022, with heights of 7 to 17 modules.

What problem rMQR solves

An rMQR code fits a two-dimensional code into a strip that is too short for a square code. A square QR code grows in both directions as data increases, so a thin edge, such as the side of a pen, a cable, a test tube or a narrow label, limits how much a square code can hold. rMQR grows mainly in width instead.

It keeps the family look of QR: a full finder pattern at one end, a smaller sub-finder pattern at the opposite corner, and timing patterns along the edges. Like Micro QR, it needs only a 2-module quiet zone.

Sizes

rMQR symbols come in fixed combinations of height and width. The largest symbols are 139 modules wide. Capacity depends on the size and the error correction level; the largest symbols hold a few hundred numeric digits, which is far less than a large square QR code but much more than Micro QR.

  • Heights: 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 or 17 modules
  • Widths: from 27 up to 139 modules
  • Error correction levels: M and H
  • Quiet zone: 2 modules

Support and standardization

rMQR was published as ISO/IEC 23941 in 2022. Because it is newer than QR and Micro QR, reader support is still growing; industrial scanners and some software libraries read it, while many phone camera apps may not. Test with the readers your audience actually uses.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between rMQR and Micro QR?

Micro QR is square and very small. rMQR is rectangular, so it can hold more data in a narrow strip, such as the edge of a label or a small cylindrical part.

Is rMQR an ISO standard?

Yes. rMQR is specified in ISO/IEC 23941, published in 2022.

Sources and standards

All terms