OnlineQRCodeGenerator.com

Create a print-ready PDF QR code

The PDF download places your code on an A4 page at a known physical size — 60 mm by default — so what comes out of the printer matches what you designed. It's the quickest way to get a code onto paper without opening any design software, and it's what most copy shops prefer to receive.

  1. 1

    Enter your content

    Paste your link or fill in the fields. As always, shorter content gives a sparser, more forgiving pattern.

  2. 2

    Style the code

    Set colours and shapes if you need them. Remember the final output is ink on paper: keep the code much darker than the background and avoid pale tones.

  3. 3

    Choose PDF and download

    Pick PDF in the download panel. The code is centred on an A4 page at 60 mm across. Print at 100% scale — 'fit to page' or 'shrink to printable area' changes the physical size and can shrink it below the scannable minimum.

Try it now

Send anyone straight to a web page with a single scan.

Fill in the fields to encode your own content

Waiting for content

Free, no sign-up, no watermark. Your code never leaves this browser.

Printing at the size you expect

Printer drivers love to rescale. Before printing a batch, print one page at 100% scale and measure the code with a ruler — it should be exactly the size shown. Then scan that printout with two different phones, from the distance you expect people to scan it.

If 60 mm isn't right for your layout, adjust the size setting before downloading rather than scaling in the print dialog; the PDF re-renders the code at the size you choose.

When the PDF isn't enough

The PDF is a finished page, not artwork. If the code is going into a flyer, menu or package design, download the SVG instead and hand it to whoever builds the layout — they can position and recolour it without quality loss. Send the SVG to commercial printers for large runs too; they'll place it at full press resolution.

Distance decides size

A code on a table is scanned from about 30 cm, so 3 cm works. A code on a wall poster is scanned from a metre or two, so it needs 10–20 cm. Divide the expected scanning distance by ten and you have the minimum code width — then round up, because glossy paper, low light and older phones all eat into the margin.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Never print with 'fit to page' enabled — it silently changes the physical size.
  • Don't scan-test only on screen; paper contrast and glare behave differently.
  • Avoid glossy laminate directly over the code — reflections make phones give up.

Common questions

Can I print the PDF at any size?

Print at 100% and measure the result. If you need a different physical size, regenerate the PDF at that size rather than scaling during printing.

What paper should I use?

Any matte paper. High-gloss stock creates reflections that make scanning unreliable, especially under spotlights.

Is the PDF vector inside?

Yes — the code is drawn as vector shapes in the PDF, so it prints at the full resolution of any printer.

Why A4 and not US Letter?

A4 is the default. The code is centred with generous margins, so printing on Letter at 100% scale works fine too.