Export · PDF documents

Putting a QR code in a PDF

Two different jobs get called the same thing: making a code that links to a PDF, and putting a code inside a PDF you are producing. This page is the second one.

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Short answer

To place a QR code in a PDF, export it as SVG and place the vector file in your layout application before exporting the document. Vector placement keeps the code sharp at any zoom and survives PDF compression. If you want a code that opens a PDF, use the PDF link generator instead.

Where the code gets degraded

Application	Best approach	Trap
Adobe InDesign	Place the SVG, export PDF/X-4	Downsampling in the export preset
Illustrator	Open SVG, save as PDF	None — vector throughout
Microsoft Word	Insert a 1200 px PNG (SVG support is inconsistent)	Word compresses images on save by default
Google Docs	Insert a high-resolution PNG	Docs downsamples on PDF export; oversize the source
LaTeX	`\includegraphics` with the SVG converted to PDF	Raster inclusion at low dpi
Canva	Upload the PNG at 2000 px	Export presets that default to a low quality setting

In Word specifically: File, Options, Advanced, then tick Do not compress images in file and set default resolution to High fidelity. This single setting causes more broken codes in office documents than any other.

Codes in documents people read on screen

If the PDF will mostly be read on a screen, the QR code is doing nothing that a hyperlink would not do better — the reader would have to point a second device at their own monitor. Add a real hyperlink as well as the code.

The genuine use cases for a code inside a PDF are documents that get printed: tickets, invoices, packing slips, certificates, order forms, exhibition handouts. Design for the paper version, and add a live hyperlink for the readers who never print it.

Frequently asked

Should I place SVG or PNG in a PDF?

SVG where the application supports it, because the code stays vector all the way through export. Use a 1200 px or larger PNG where SVG support is unreliable, such as in Word.

Why does my QR code look fuzzy in the exported PDF?

Image downsampling in the export settings. Turn compression off, or place a vector file which is not affected.

Can a QR code inside a PDF be scanned from the screen?

Yes, with a second device. But if the reader is already on a screen, give them a clickable hyperlink too.

What size should a code be in an A4 document?

25–40 mm. At 25 mm most codes stay above the 0.4 mm module floor; below that, scan failures start.

Keep going

Last reviewed 24 August 2026 · Checked by the QR Code Builder team