A collaboration between TU Wien and Cerabyte has established a new Guinness World Record for creating and reading the smallest ever QR codes. These QR codes feature 49nm pixels, making them less than half the size (37%) of the previous record holder. Furthermore, the codes are smaller than bacteria, says a press release from TU Wien, in comparison. Beyond the headlining world record achievement, these tiny QR codes will propel Cerabyte’s ceramic storage to even greater densities.
QR codes are everywhere in 2026, but these tiny world record holders are too small to be seen by the naked eye, or even read using an optical microscope. The TU Wein and Cerabyte team’s codes measure just 1.98 square micrometers. An electron microscope is required to read them.
