PDF QR code generator
Make a QR code for a PDF on your site, Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive. Share links become direct view or download links. Free, no account.
Make the file public first
The code holds a link, not the file, so the PDF has to be online first. Upload it to your website, or share it from Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive with anyone with the link can view, then paste the link here.
Where to put it
- Brochures, manuals and spec sheets: put the code on the product or the box.
- Handouts at talks and events, so people take the slides home without paper.
- Keep the file at the same address when you update it, and the printed code keeps working.
- Phones read small PDF text badly. For a menu or a price list, a mobile web page is easier to read.
Want scan counts and an editable destination? Make it a free dynamic code. Want it in your own image? Make a picture code.
Paste your PDF link to see the code.
Static · no expiry · built in your browser
Put the PDF online: your website, or Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive with link sharing on.
Paste the link and choose whether scanning opens the PDF or downloads it.
Download the code and scan it once, on mobile data, before you print.
Questions
Can a QR code hold the PDF itself?+
No. A QR code holds under 3 KB, less than a single PDF page. It holds a link to the file, so the file has to be online.
Why convert my Google Drive or Dropbox link?+
Share links open a preview page. The generator can turn them into a direct link, so scanning opens the file in the phone's viewer or downloads it straight away.
What happens when I update the PDF?+
The code keeps working if the file stays at the same link. In Drive, use Manage versions to upload the new file; in Dropbox, replace the file with one of the same name.
Do people need a Google or Dropbox account?+
No, as long as sharing is set to anyone with the link. If a Drive file is Restricted, people are asked to sign in and request access.
Can I see how many people opened it?+
No. A static code holds the destination itself, so it cannot be edited or counted after printing. For a code you can change and track, make a free dynamic code at ariaqr.com/free-qr-code-generator.
More free tools
Learn the terms
The next step
Make the code the artwork.
These tools make and check classic codes. AriaQR turns your photo, logo or illustration into the code itself, verified on real decoders before you download, with a link you can edit and track.
