How to Make a QR Code for a PDF (Free)

How to turn a PDF into a QR code in 5 steps

The part people get wrong is sharing, not the QR code. If the file is still restricted, scanners see a “request access” page instead of your document. Follow these steps in order, and always test with a phone that isn’t signed in to your account before you print anything.

1. 1

   Upload the PDF

   Put the file on Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive or your own website. If it’s large, compress it first so it opens quickly on a phone.

2. 2

   Share it with anyone who has the link

   In Google Drive, click Share, change “General access” to “Anyone with the link” and choose the Viewer role. In Dropbox, create a share link that anyone with the link can view.

3. 3

   Copy the file’s link

   Click “Copy link”. Make sure it’s the link to the PDF itself, not to the folder it sits in.

4. 4

   Paste it into the generator

   Paste the link into the URL field above. If you may replace the file later, switch on “Dynamic QR code” (Pro or a one-time Lifetime code), then download your QR code.

5. 5

   Test while signed out

   Scan with someone else’s phone, or open the link in a private window on mobile data. The PDF should open without an access request and without a long wait.

Where should you host the PDF?

If you have a website, uploading the PDF there is best: the link is short, it loads fast and you control it completely. Without a website, Google Drive or Dropbox work well and are free, as long as sharing is set to anyone with the link and you never delete or move the file after printing.

• Google Drive: free, and opens as a file preview on phones. It must be set to “Anyone with the link” or scanners hit an access request.
• Dropbox / OneDrive: use a view-only share link, and check the link has no expiry date or password set.
• Your own website: the most trustworthy-looking link, fast, with no provider page in between.

Common problems with PDF QR codes

When a PDF QR code fails, the QR code itself is almost never the problem; the link is. The file is still restricted, the link points to a folder, the file was deleted or moved, or it’s so large it crawls on mobile data. Run through this list before you print.

• “You need access” page: sharing is still Restricted. Change it to “Anyone with the link”.
• Works for you but not for customers: you’re signed in as the owner. Test in a private window.
• Slow to open: shrink the images in the PDF or compress it to a few MB.
• Hard to read on a phone: an A4 PDF needs zooming. For a restaurant menu, a mobile-friendly page reads better.
• Privacy: anyone with the link can open it, so never put confidential or personal data in a PDF behind a QR code.

Can you change the PDF without reprinting the QR code?

Yes, two ways. A dynamic code lets you point the printed code at a new file any time and shows scan analytics (Pro or a Lifetime code). Or, if the file is on Google Drive, upload the new version over the old one with “Manage versions”: it stays the same file, so the link doesn’t change.

In Google Drive on a computer: click the file you want to replace, open More (⋮), choose “Manage versions”, then “Upload new version”. Don’t delete the old file and upload a new one, because that creates a new link and a static code would stop working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Google Drive Help — Share files from Google Drive (“Anyone with the link”)
• Google Drive Help — Upload a new version of a file (“Manage versions”)