How to make a QR code watermark tile layer for ArcGIS

QR codes are little square graphics with blips and bloops in it that your phone’s camera can de-code as a URL. Want to drop a QR code watermark into your map as a repeating graphic? Here’s how to create your own vector tile layer with your own custom QR code dutifully repeating itself over every tile.

Here’s one I’ve made that, when scanned with your phone’s camera, will ask if you want to visit the encoded link (spoiler: it’s Esri’s homepage).

There are probably loads of different ways of baking a custom QR code watermark into a vector tile layer, but this is how I’d do it…

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You can download that sneaky little Global Background layer (a simple shapefile that covers the whole world) right here. If you’d like to see the resulting vector tile layer from this video, check it out here.

So enjoy! Explore the symbology options that you have for presenting an SVG graphic in ArcGIS Pro; see what sort of designs work best for you and remember to keep testing with your phone throughout the process!

Love, John

About the author

John Nelson

I have far too much fun looking for ways to understand and present data visually, hopefully driving product strategy and engaging users. I work in the ArcGIS Living Atlas team at Esri, pushing and pulling data in all sorts of absurd ways and then sharing the process. I also design user experiences for maps and apps. When I'm not doing those things, I'm chasing around toddlers and wrangling chickens, and generally getting into other ad-hoc adventures. Life is good. You might also like these Styles for ArcGIS Pro: esriurl.com/nelsonstyles

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