Adding QR Codes to Letter Templates
4 min readLast updated: February 20, 2026Templates & Editor
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QR codes are a powerful tool for connecting your printed letters with the digital world. Recipients can scan the code with their smartphone and are taken directly to a website, offer, or landing page. At the same time, you receive valuable tracking data.
Open your template in the editor or create a new one. In the properties panel, you'll find the QR Code section. Enable the option to add a QR code.
Select the desired type:
Depending on the type, enter the URL, text, or email address. For URLs, you can use the {orderId} placeholder to individually track each letter (see below).
Define the position of your QR code using X and Y coordinates (in mm). The default size is 25 x 25 mm. You can adjust the size but should keep the minimum size in mind.
Save the template. The QR code will be automatically printed on the letter.
Only one QR code per template is allowed. If you've already configured a QR code, you need to remove it before adding a new one.
The {orderId} placeholder is automatically replaced with the unique order ID of each recipient during printing. This lets you track which recipient scanned the QR code.
Example redirect URL:
https://your-domain.com/offer?ref={orderId}
During printing, this becomes, for example:
https://your-domain.com/offer?ref=ORD-2026-00421
This way, you can see in your web analytics tool (e.g., Google Analytics) exactly which letters led to website visits.
A particularly important use case is the GDPR opt-out link. You can set up a QR code through which recipients can easily unsubscribe from letter mailings:
https://app.autoletter.eu/optout/{orderId}
When scanned, the recipient is redirected to an unsubscribe page. This feature is especially relevant for ensuring GDPR compliance of your campaigns.
Even though a GDPR opt-out link is not always legally required for direct mail advertising, we recommend it as a sign of transparency and customer-friendliness. AutoLetter provides a ready-made opt-out page for this purpose.
When recipients scan the QR code, the following data is captured:
{orderId} placeholder)You'll find this data in the campaign analytics under the QR Code Scans tab.
Use a minimum size of 25 x 25 mm for reliable scanning. Smaller QR codes can be difficult to read depending on print quality and smartphone camera. If the QR code encodes a lot of content (e.g., a long URL), you should increase the size accordingly.