Put a document behind a code on the page
A PDF code is really a link code: it points to a PDF hosted at a web address, so printing it well means printing a short, bold link cleanly. Export at 300 DPI, keep a white margin, print black on white, and keep the URL short so the pattern stays low-density.
The catch unique to PDFs is that nothing but the address is inside the code. The file lives on a server, so once the code is printed the document must stay at that exact URL. Move or rename the PDF and every printed code points at a dead link — plan the hosting before the print.
Fill the form to generate a QR code
Host the PDF at a stable, short address
The code carries a link, not the file, so where the PDF lives matters more than anything on the page. Put it at a permanent path you control and do not move or rename it after printing. If the document might be revised, host it at a fixed URL and update the file there, so the printed code keeps working.
Keep the hosted link short. A long path buried in a file host makes a dense code; a clean short URL on your own domain prints bolder and scans from further away.
- Use a fixed URL you control, not a temporary share link.
- Keep the path short to lower the code's density.
- Replace the file in place rather than changing its address.
- Confirm the link is public before printing.
DPI, size and margin for the print
Export at 300 DPI for a handheld leaflet or manual so the modules stay crisp. Size to the reading distance — a code on a poster read from two metres wants to be roughly 20 cm across, while an in-hand document code can be a couple of centimetres.
Leave a quiet zone of at least four blank modules. On a dense document page it is easy to crowd the code with body text, and that missing border is a common cause of a scan that fails on the printed sheet.
Warn the reader it is a download
A scan opens the PDF over the connection, so a caption like 'Scan for the full PDF' sets expectations — useful because a large file on mobile data can be slow. Keep the document itself reasonably sized so it opens without a long wait.
Because loading needs internet, place these codes where people have signal; a manual scanned in a basement with a heavy PDF is a poor experience the print alone cannot fix.
Prepare a PDF code for print
- Upload the PDF to a fixed URL. Host it at a permanent address you control; a temporary share link that expires is the top reason a printed PDF code goes dead.
- Paste the short link. Include https:// and keep the path short so the code stays low-density and scans off the page easily.
- Export at 300 DPI or SVG. Use SVG for a print shop, or a high-DPI PNG for a fixed spot, with a four-module white margin.
- Scan the printed sheet. Test the actual print to confirm the PDF opens and loads before running the full batch.
Technical details
- Maximum characters: 2953
- Recommended error correction: Q (quartile) — raised from the default because a printed leaflet or manual gets folded and handled, and the extra recovery keeps the link scanning through wear.
- The payload is the URL of the hosted PDF, not the file — keep that address short and permanent.
- Export SVG for scalable print or a 300+ DPI raster, always with a four-module quiet zone.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the PDF stored inside the code?
- No. The code holds a link to the PDF, which lives on a server. That is why the file must stay at the same web address after printing — the printed code only knows where to look, not what the document contains.
- What happens if I move the PDF later?
- Every printed code breaks. The code points at one fixed URL, so moving or renaming the file leaves the link dead. Host the PDF at a stable address and, if you need to revise it, replace the file in place without changing its URL.
- What DPI should a printed PDF code be?
- At least 300 DPI for a leaflet or manual held close, so the modules print crisp. For a poster read from a distance you can go lower, but exporting as SVG avoids DPI concerns by staying sharp at any print size.
- Why is the PDF slow to open after scanning?
- The scan is instant, but the phone then downloads the file over the connection, so a large PDF on mobile data feels slow. Keep the document reasonably sized and place the code where people have decent signal for a smoother experience.
- Do I need to tell people it opens a PDF?
- It helps. A short caption like 'Scan for the full PDF' sets the expectation that a document, not a web page, will load — and warns that it may take a moment on mobile data. Clear labelling reduces confused scans on printed material.
- How much margin does the code need?
- Leave a quiet zone of at least four blank modules around it. On a text-heavy document page it is easy to let body copy crowd the code, and that missing clear border is a frequent reason a printed PDF code fails to scan.