# Putting a QR code in a PDF

> How to put a QR code in a PDF so it still scans: vector placement, resolution settings, and the export compression traps that quietly break working codes.

Source: https://qr-code-build.com/qr-code-pdf/  
Last reviewed: 2026-08-24  
Publisher: QR Code Builder

## Summary
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](/pdf-qr-code-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 questions
### 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.

---
Licence: this page may be quoted with attribution to QR Code Builder (https://qr-code-build.com/qr-code-pdf/).