GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
Google Cardboard
Viewer Profile Guidelines
Introduction
Use the information in this guide to understand the appropriate use of the viewer QR profile.
This guide is intended for participants making their own Cardboard viewers. If you are creating
software VR apps for Google Cardboard, see the UX guidelines on Designing for Virtual Reality.
Viewer QR Profile
To ensure that all Google Cardboard apps work well on your virtual reality viewer, generate a
QR profile. Here is the typical output from the QR profile generator:
The generated QR profile encodes the viewer lens parameters, input details, names, and so on.
You can place this generated profile on your physical viewer (recommended) and on the
viewer’s packaging. You can also include the generated QR profile on the viewer’s website
(recommended). The guidelines below describe the proper use of the viewer QR profile.
Size
You can change the size of the QR profile as needed, as long as the minimum size
requirements are respected. Ensure that aliasing is not used if you are resizing a raster version
of the QR profile.
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
When used in digital media, the QR profile size should never be smaller than 74 x 74 px (in
other words, the individual QR modules should never be smaller than 2 x 2 px.) When used in
print, the QR profile size should never be smaller than 0.6 x 0.6” / 15 x 15 mm
Do not increase the size of a QR profile to the point where it would become a dominant
graphical element in your design.
Placement
Here are the guidelines for the QR profile placement.
Clear space
To avoid visual clutter, the clear space around the viewer profile should be equal to or greater
than the QR code position patterns ( ). Do not place photos, text or any other graphic elements
inside the minimum clear space.
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
Multiple QR codes
QR codes are difficult to scan when multiple codes are placed closely next to each other. If your
viewer, packaging, website or other materials include multiple QR codes, ensure that these QR
codes are spaced sufficiently far apart.
For example, at 7” / 175 mm scanning distance, a typical smartphone QR reader covers about
5.5 x 8” / 140 x 200 mm area. Do not place any other QR codes in this area.
Colors
You can adapt the colors of the QR code to match the design of your viewer.
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
Do
● Use only two colors (e.g. white and orange, instead of white and black):
● Preserve the color contrast on dark backgrounds by reversing-out the print process.
Ultimately, pixels which were black in the original QR code should remain darker than
the pixels which were originally white:
Make sure to leave a border around the position patterns ( ) as per images above if you are
using reversed-out QR profiles.
Alternatively, you can include a one-module width border around the whole reversed-out QR
profile:
Don’t
● Use more than two colors:
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
● Decrease the contrast between the foreground and the background:
● Invert the color contrast such that the pixels which were originally black end up being
brighter than the originally white pixels.
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
● Place the profile on a busy or non-uniform background:
● Use a different color for the border:
Modifications
Avoid modifying the generated QR viewer profile in any way, apart from scaling/color changes
as described above.
Don't
● Change the shape of QR modules:
● Add or modify the existing visual elements:
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
● Add shadows:
● Disproportionately stretch or skew the QR profile.
General Brand Use Guidelines
● Unauthorized use of Google trademarks is expressly prohibited. For information about
using other Google Trademarks, please refer to Google Branding Guidelines.
● Do not name your device(s), domain name(s), website(s), social media handle(s),
company, or other assets “Google Cardboard”, or anything similar that may make your
product appear to be an official Google product.
● Do not file trademark applications or otherwise claim any trademark rights in any marks
that are confusingly similar to Google’s trademarks, including Google and Google
Cardboard.
● Do not use any Google Cardboard or other Google graphical assets (e.g., logos, product
icons, etc.) other than those permitted.
● Do not overstate your relationship with Google: do not state or imply that you are an
exclusive partner with Google.
● Do not suggest or imply that you have an exclusive or privileged arrangement with
Google.
● Do not speak on behalf of Google, its representatives or products. You are welcome to
conduct your own interviews and provide statements about your organization’s specific
initiatives. However, please do not speak on behalf of Google or speculate about any
Google initiatives. We’re happy to take any questions from the press that are about
Google as a company, Google’s strategy, or the ins and outs of a Google product. Simply
direct inquiries to
[email protected].
GOOGLE CARDBOARD - VIEWER PROFILE GUIDELINES
VERSION 2.0 - DECEMBER 2020
Change Log
Version Date Change description
2.0 12/02/2020 Updated to address the Cardboard open source project.
Removed WWGC program content.
1.2 02/20/2016 Removed Magnet as an acceptable input type
1.1 2/12/2016 Removed Magnet as an acceptable input
1.0 4/14/2015 Initial "Works with Google Cardboard" viewer profile and
badge guidelines.
