vCard QR Code Format Guide: Complete Specification & Syntax

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:John Doe
TEL:+1234567890
EMAIL:john@example.com
END:VCARD

vCard is the standard format for digital business cards in QR codes. This guide covers the complete vCard 3.0 specification with all fields, formatting rules, and best practices.

Basic vCard Structure

Every vCard must start with BEGIN:VCARD and end with END:VCARD:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:Full Name
END:VCARD

Essential vCard Fields

VERSION (Required)

Specifies vCard version. Use 3.0 for maximum compatibility:

VERSION:3.0

FN - Formatted Name (Required)

The display name as it should appear:

FN:John Michael Doe

N - Structured Name (Recommended)

Format: Last;First;Middle;Prefix;Suffix

N:Doe;John;Michael;Mr.;Jr.

TEL - Phone Number

Include country code and type:

TEL;TYPE=CELL:+1-555-123-4567
TEL;TYPE=WORK:+1-555-987-6543
TEL;TYPE=HOME:+1-555-111-2222

EMAIL - Email Address

EMAIL;TYPE=WORK:john.doe@company.com
EMAIL;TYPE=HOME:john@personal.com

ORG - Organization

ORG:Acme Corporation

TITLE - Job Title

TITLE:Senior Software Engineer

URL - Website

URL:https://www.example.com

Complete vCard Field Reference

Address Format (ADR)

Address format: PO Box;Extended;Street;City;State;Postal;Country

ADR;TYPE=WORK:;;123 Business Ave;San Francisco;CA;94102;USA
ADR;TYPE=HOME:;;456 Home St;New York;NY;10001;USA

Complete vCard Example

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:John Michael Doe
N:Doe;John;Michael;Mr.;
ORG:Acme Corporation
TITLE:Senior Software Engineer
TEL;TYPE=WORK:+1-555-123-4567
TEL;TYPE=CELL:+1-555-987-6543
EMAIL;TYPE=WORK:john.doe@acme.com
EMAIL;TYPE=HOME:john@personal.com
URL:https://www.johndoe.com
ADR;TYPE=WORK:;;123 Business Ave;San Francisco;CA;94102;USA
NOTE:Available Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM PST
END:VCARD

Special Character Handling

vCard uses specific escape sequences:

• Comma: Use \, (backslash comma)
• Semicolon: Use \; (backslash semicolon)
• Newline: Use \n (backslash n)
• Backslash: Use \\ (double backslash)

Example with Special Characters

ORG:Smith\, Jones & Associates
NOTE:Line 1\nLine 2\nLine 3

Phone Number Types

Common TYPE parameters for TEL field:

• CELL: Mobile phone
• WORK: Work phone
• HOME: Home phone
• FAX: Fax number
• VOICE: Voice line (default)
• PREF: Preferred number

Multiple Types

TEL;TYPE=WORK,VOICE,PREF:+1-555-123-4567

Email Types

• WORK: Work email
• HOME: Personal email
• INTERNET: Internet email (default)
• PREF: Preferred email

Social Media Fields

Add social profiles using URL or custom X- fields:

URL:https://linkedin.com/in/johndoe
URL:https://twitter.com/johndoe
X-SOCIALPROFILE;TYPE=linkedin:https://linkedin.com/in/johndoe

Best Practices for QR Codes

• Keep it Simple: Only include essential fields
• Use vCard 3.0: Better compatibility than 4.0
• Include Country Codes: Always use +1 format for phones
• Test Thoroughly: Verify on iOS and Android
• Avoid Photos: They make QR codes too complex
• Use UTF-8 Encoding: For international characters

Common Mistakes

• Missing VERSION: Always include VERSION:3.0
• Wrong Line Endings: Use \n not actual line breaks in fields
• Unescaped Characters: Escape commas and semicolons
• Too Much Data: Keep vCards under 500 characters
• Missing FN: FN field is required

Testing Your vCard QR Code

1. Generate QR code with vCard data
2. Scan with iPhone (iOS 11+)
3. Scan with Android device
4. Verify all fields import correctly
5. Check special characters display properly
6. Test phone number click-to-call
7. Test email click-to-email

Minimal vCard Template

For business cards with limited space, use this minimal template:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:John Doe
TEL:+1-555-123-4567
EMAIL:john@example.com
ORG:Acme Corp
END:VCARD

Conclusion

vCard 3.0 is the standard format for contact QR codes. Start with BEGIN:VCARD, include VERSION:3.0 and FN (name), add essential contact fields, and end with END:VCARD. Keep it simple for smaller QR codes and better scannability.