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PDF QR code generator

Paste a public link to your PDF and download a QR code that opens it. A QR code holds a link, not the file, so the PDF lives where you choose and nobody can lock it behind a subscription.

PDF QR code generator

What should the code open?
PDF / Menu details

Upload the file to your website, Google Drive or Dropbox, then paste a public link.

Colors, size and logo

Higher levels survive damage and logos but make the code denser.

Your image stays on your device. Adding a logo switches error correction to High.

Example QR code

Example. Fill in the form to make yours.

Static code. Free forever. It never expires.

How to make a QR code for a PDF

  1. Put the PDF online

    Upload it to your website, Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive. Set sharing so anyone with the link can view it.

  2. Copy the public link and paste it above

    Open the link in a private browser window first. If it asks you to sign in, the sharing setting is still private.

  3. Download, test, print

    Scan the code with your phone on mobile data. Then download SVG for print or PNG for screens and documents.

Why we do not host your PDF

Many PDF QR code tools upload your file to their own servers. It feels convenient, but it ties every printed code to that company. If you stop paying, the plan changes, or the company closes, the file disappears and the code on your flyers opens an error page.

Linking to a file you host yourself avoids all of that. You stay in control of the file, and the code is a plain static code that keeps working as long as the link does. More on this in do QR codes expire?

Where to host the PDF

  • Your own website. The most reliable option. Upload the file through your site builder or hosting panel and copy its address, which usually ends in .pdf. You control the address, so it never changes unless you change it.
  • Google Drive. Right-click the file, choose Share, and under General access pick “Anyone with the link”. Copy the link. Drive shows the PDF in its own viewer, which works well on phones. The Google Drive QR code guide covers folders and the sharing settings in more detail.
  • Dropbox. Choose Share, then create or copy a view link set to “Anyone with the link”. A link ending in dl=0 shows a preview; dl=1 downloads the file straight away.
  • OneDrive. Choose Share and set the link to “Anyone”. Organisation accounts sometimes block public links, so test it.

Avoid temporary transfer links that expire after 7 or 30 days. They are the most common reason a PDF code stops working.

  1. Open the link in a private or incognito browser window. You should see the PDF without signing in.
  2. Open it on your phone with WiFi turned off. Some company networks can reach files that the public cannot.
  3. Check that the first page reads well on a small screen. Large text and a single column work best.

If any of these fail, fix the sharing setting before you make the code. A code that opens a sign-in page looks broken to everyone who scans it.

Updating the PDF later

Static codes cannot be pointed at a new link, but you rarely need that. Replace the file and keep the link:

  • On your website, upload the new version with exactly the same file name.
  • On Google Drive, right-click the file, choose File information, then Manage versions, and upload the new file. The link stays the same.
  • On Dropbox, upload the new file with the same name into the same folder and choose to replace it.

If you truly need to change where a code points after printing, that is what dynamic codes are for. The static vs dynamic guide explains the trade-offs, and our Pro plan keeps dynamic codes working even if you cancel.

Good uses for a PDF code

  • Brochures and spec sheets at trade show stands, so visitors leave with the full document.
  • Instructions and manuals on product packaging. A code on the box beats a paper manual that gets lost.
  • Menus, price lists and event programmes. See the menu QR code page for restaurant tips.
  • Forms and handouts in classrooms and waiting rooms.

Printing it

Download SVG for print. It stays sharp at any size. At arm’s length the code should be at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide, and longer links need more room because they make a denser code. Google Drive links are long, so give them 3 cm or more. The QR code size guide has exact sizes for different distances.

Questions people ask

Can a QR code hold the PDF file itself?

No. A QR code holds at most about 3 KB of data, and a typical PDF is hundreds of times bigger. Every PDF QR code, here or anywhere else, holds a link to a copy of the file stored online.

Can I change the PDF later without reprinting the code?

Yes, if the link stays the same. On your own website, upload the new file with the same name. On Google Drive, use Manage versions to upload a new version of the same file. The code keeps opening the link, and the link now shows the new file.

Will the code stop working?

Not because of us. It is a static code, so the link is inside the pattern and there is no subscription to end. It only stops working if the file at that link is deleted, moved or made private.

How big can the PDF be?

Any size works, but people scan on phones, often on mobile data. Under about 5 MB opens quickly. Compress large scans and export images at screen resolution, not print resolution.

Do people need an app to scan it?

No. The camera app on current iPhones and Android phones reads QR codes and offers to open the link. The PDF then opens in the phone's browser or PDF viewer.

Is my PDF uploaded to this site?

No. You never upload the file here. The generator only turns the link you paste into a code, and that happens in your browser.