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#Method 2: Turn an online-hosted PDF into a QR Code

Let’s look at the two of the three scenarios we’ve discussed above:

(i) Create a PDF QR Code from a Google Drive link

Your Google Drive PDF files can now be shared with a single QR Code. Here’s a simple, step-wise guide on how to do this.

STEP 1: Open the Google Drive PDF file you want to share as a QR Code.

STEP 2: Click on the three-dot ellipsis on the top right corner and select “Share’.

STEP 3: Choose the type of access you want to give others—edit, comment, or view.

STEP 4: Click on ‘Get Shareable Link’ and choose a link-sharing option based on your preference.

STEP 5: Copy the link.

STEP 6: Go to the QR Code Generator of your choice.

STEP 7: Choose the PDF QR Code option.

STEP 8: In the ‘Setup’ section, upload your PDF.

STEP 9: Customize the design of the QR Code based on your brand logo and colors.

STEP 10: Download the QR Code in your preferred format, and test out the QR Code a few times before you deploy.

(ii) Create a PDF QR Code from a normal online link

STEP 1: Open up the URL of the online PDF file.

The steps that follow will be the same as above:

STEP 2: Copy the link.

STEP 3: Go to the QR Code Generator of your choice.

STEP 4: Choose the PDF QR Code option.

STEP 5: In the ‘Setup’ section, upload your PDF.

STEP 6: Customize the design of the QR Code based on your brand logo and colors.

STEP 7: Download the QR Code in your preferred format, and test out the QR Code a few times before you deploy.

#Method 3: Automate the creation of PDF QR Codes entirely

With the help of third-party integration tools like Zapier and Make, you can integrate your QR Code generator with other useful tools that can help you create PDF QR Codes hassle-free. This largely eliminates manual effort and streamlines team activities effectively!

Let’s have a look at a few examples:

(i) Integrate Google Sheets with Beaconstac

Say you use a Google Sheet to keep track of all the PDFs you wish to share—be it marketing collateral, documents, instruction manuals that go on physical products, and so on. Did you know that for every new spreadsheet row added to Google Sheets, you can generate a PDF QR Code with QR Code integrations? Beaonstac allows you to do this easily!

Here’s how it works:

1. STEP 1: Create a new spreadsheet on Google Sheets

   Firstly. you need to create a spreadsheet that contains details such as the QR Code campaign name and URLs of your PDF files. This data is required to create a PDF QR Code in Beaconstac.

2. STEP 2: Log in to your Zapier account and click on ‘+Create Zap’.

3. STEP 3: Set up your trigger event:

   1. Choose App as Google Sheets and Event as New Spreadsheet Row.
   2. Choose Account - Sign in to your Google Sheets account.
   3. Set up trigger - Choose the spreadsheet and worksheet that contains the data required to create your PDF QR Code.
   4. Test trigger.

4. STEP 4: Set up your action event:

   1. Choose App and Event - Beaconstac and Create a Dynamic QR Code.
   2. Choose Account - Sign in to your Beaconstac account.
   3. Set up action - Enter QR Code Name, Design, Campaign Type (PDF), PDF URL.
   4. Test action.

5. STEP 5: Turn your Zap on

   This is the most crucial step since it activates your integration.

And you’re done—every time you upload your PDF onto your Google Sheet row, a new PDF QR Code will be automatically generated! No coding involved.

With Beaconstac you can also have your custom-branded QR Code designs be applied to each QR Code that is generated through the above process.

You might also like: How to create bulk QR Codes using Google Sheets

(ii) Integrate Google Drive with Beaconstac

Say you use a Google Sheet to keep track of all the PDFs you wish to share—be it marketing collateral, documents, instruction manuals that go on physical products, and so on.

Did you know that for every new spreadsheet row added to Google Sheets, you can generate a PDF QR Code with QR Code integrations? Beaonstac allows you to do this easily!

Here’s how it works:

1. STEP 1: Create a folder on Google Drive

2. STEP 2: Log in to your Zapier account and click ‘+Create Zap’

3. STEP 3: Set up your trigger event:

   1. Choose App and Event - Google Drive and New File in Folder
   2. Choose Account - Sign in to your Google Drive account
   3. Set up trigger - Choose the drive and specific folder you want to use
   4. Test trigger

4. STEP 4: Set up your action event:

   1. Choose App and Event - Beaconstac and Create Dynamic QR Code
   2. Choose Account - Sign in to your Beaconstac account
   3. Set up action - Enter QR Code Name, Design, Campaign Type (PDF), PDF URL
   4. Test action

5. STEP 5: Turn your Zap on

   Turn on your Zap to activate the integration.

Note: This workflow also works if you want to integrate OneDrive (or any other storage tool!) with Beaconstac using Zapier.

Custom-brand your PDF QRs by customizing the QR Code design

You can add your brand colors to PDF QR Codes, add your logo, and set custom eyes, gradient patterns, and frame texts.

Fully customize the QR Code design to reflect your brand identity! This is crucial—you want your PDF QR Codes to be distinct and representative of your brand

Want to dive in-depth into how you can design customized QR Codes? Read our comprehensive guide on the same.

Change the shape and color of the eyeball of your PDF QR Code

Click on the shape of the eyeball that you want and enter the hex code of the color or choose one from the color palette.

Change the shape and color of the eye-frame of the PDF QR Code

Just like how we’d seen with the eye-ball of the QR Code, you can change shape and color of the eye-frame of the QR Code as well.

Add a logo to the PDF QR Code

You can choose a PDF icon or upload your brand’s logo to the QR Code for custom personalization. You can also make the logo bigger or smaller by using the slider.

Change the pattern and color of the QR Code

Pattern

The pattern of the QR Code contains the data encoded into the QR Code: in this case it’s your PDF and any additional data required for PDF QR Code features you mish to have like password-protection or multilingual PDFs. The black and white squares of the QR Code needn’t be so plain and can be turned into different shapes and colors!

Color

You can make the QR Code a monochromatic PDF QR Code or use a color gradient (radial, horizontal or vertical).

Add a frame text to the PDF QR Code

Select a QR Code frame, change its color to suit your QR Code design, and add actional frame text to prompt users to scan the QR Code and view the PDF file.

Save your custom-branded design template for your PDF QRs

After you’re done customizing different elements of the QR Codes—as we’ve seen in the sections above—you can now save your design as a template to use later.

To do this, simply customize the design to your liking and finish creating your QR Code as though you were creating just one. In the final step of the PDF QR creation process—just go to ‘Advanced Settings’ and click on ‘Save As Template’ to reuse the design template on other QR Codes you create.

Customize the background of the PDF QR with custom colors or background images

Add a solid color behind your PDF QR Code design or a custom background image. When you’re doing this—be careful to not go overboard with poor color contrasts in your QR Code design—they might end up being unscannable!

However—with Beaconstac—you needn’t worry about this. We have a built-in scannability reader that tells you, in real-time, if your QR Code design lends itself to being scannable or not!

How to edit a PDF QR Code

Wish to edit your PDF QR Code on the backend after it’s deployed? Do this easily with a dynamic PDF QR code.

Once your PDF QR Code is created, you can always go back to the dashboard to either re-upload a new PDF or change the link and point to a new PDF.

To do this, you need to use a dynamic QR Code, which lets you redirect the existing QR Code to a new PDF without having to recreate it.

STEP 1: Find the PDF QR Code that you created

STEP 2: Click on Edit

STEP 3: Click on PDF QR Code

STEP 4: You can either upload a new PDF or point to a PDF link

STEP 5: Save your changes

Multilingual PDF QR Codes

Create PDF QRs that show your PDF in your audience’s preferred language! If you have a global, multi-lingual audience and wish to market, share important info or documents with them through PDF QR Codes, you can do so easily with Beaconstac.

Use our multilingual support feature to let users view your PDFs in their preferred languages when they scan your PDF QRS!

All you need to do is upload translated versions of your PDF files along with the default one. When users scan the QR Code, based on the user’s default language setting on their mobile device, they’ll be directed to the corresponding translated PDF in their language.

Learn more about multilingual QR Codes.

Can you have one QR Code for multiple PDF documents?

Absolutely. If you wish to provide users with more than one PDF document, you can do so with a landing page QR Code.

With the help of Beaconstac’s platform, you can create a landing page that includes links to multiple PDF documents.

Whether it's a free e-book, a product catalog, or an instructions manual, you can generate one QR Code that provides links to each of them.

Depending on the user’s choice, they can click on the relevant link and view the PDF on their smartphone with ease.

Here’s how you can create a landing page QR Code for multiple PDF documents:

Build your landing page for multiple QR Code PDFs

1. Log in to the Beaconstac dashboard.
2. Go to Campaigns > Landing pages.
3. Click on +Create to build a new landing page.
4. Create your landing page from scratch or choose one of the ready-to-use templates
5. Add your content to the landing page editor and design it.
6. Give a name to your landing page and save it.

Create a landing page QR Code for PDFs

1. Go to QR Codes and click on +Create QR Code.
2. Select Landing Page as the campaign type.
3. Select your landing page from the list and click Next.
4. Customize your QR Code.
5. Download it in any of the 5 available formats - PNG, JPG, SVG, EPS, and PDF.

How can I convert my PDF into a password-protected QR Code?

Password-protected QR Codes are essential for securing PDF files that contain private information. Only those who are authorized and know the password can view the PDF upon scanning.
Here’s how it works:

Creating a QR Code for a PDF with password protection

1. Log in to the Beaconstac dashboard.
2. Go to QR Codes and click on +Create QR Code.
3. Select PDF as the campaign type.
4. Set up your QR Code PDF and customize it.
5. Scroll down and click on Show advanced settings.
6. Click on the Password protection toggle.
7. Set the password for your QR Code PDF and click Next.
8. Download the QR Code.

Now, once a user scans the PDF QR Code, they’ll need to enter the password to view the PDF file on their smartphone.

Challenges with sharing your PDFs—be it marketing material, docs, or restaurant menus—with URLs

The straightforward approach to delivering online documents is to include a short URL on sales receipts, product packaging, or posters.

However, the challenge with this approach is that it works only if users remember to visit the URL.

Even if they do remember, it takes a lot of manual effort for a user to type in lengthy URLs. Even if they have been shortened through a link-shortening tool, users think of it as an inconvenience.

PROs of using a PDF QR Code

• Enhanced customer experience

  PDFs are compact and easy to exchange. This is why PDF QR Codes are the easiest and most seamless way to learn about products or services in detail.

• Scan-save-go, Read later

  Since the PDFs are accessed via the smartphone, users can save these documents for future reference and usage.

• Multiple Campaigns, 1 QR Code

  Use the power of dynamic QR Codes and re-use the same QR Code to deliver different PDFs. Schedule these campaigns automatically or make updates when you need to.

  RELATED: How to create all-in-one QR Codes

• Share information on the fly

  Since PDF QR Codes are mobile-friendly, any kind of documents can be shared at any given time—on the fly..

• Boost marketing efforts

  PDF QR Codes can help users understand products without increasing printing costs and allow you to include detailed information in one single PDF. This makes for a good customer experience, and in turn, better marketing ROIs.

Check out these other QR Code types.

Where can you use PDF QR Codes?

• At events, concerts and conferences

  Hit the right audience and generate high quality leads at events you attend. Give them quick access to eBooks, interview documentation, or property listings in your locality. All it would require of them is to point their smartphone cameras to the QR code and scan!

• At physical stores

  From in-store posters to pamphlets to product packaging and more, PDF QR Codes can be used extensively to boost engagement and store interactivity. Stick QR Codes on product aisles, packaging and posters. Allow users to scan and access user manuals, product comparison sheets, tips, inspirations, best practices, related products or product reviews before they move onto other errands of the day.

• At banks

  Send forms and other annexures that need to be filled and submitted at banks. You could also send sample application forms to new users trying to open a bank account at your branch.

• At restaurants

  In the wake of the pandemic, encourage consumers to scan a QR Code menu at your restaurant instead of offering physical menu cards. With Beaconstac's restaurant QR Code solution, you can upload a single menu or multiple menus attached to one QR Code.

  QR Code menus are more cost-effective - Here’s why

  QR Code menus significantly reduce printing costs when compared to printing single-use disposable menus.

  Printing 25 menus cost an average of $30. This means that if you have an average of 100 customers visiting your restaurant every day, you incur a recurring cost of $120. This results in almost $3,600 per month for printing disposable, single-use menus.

  On the other hand, a QR Code menu costs $5 per month per year, and the best part is that you can reuse these QR Codes on every tabletop and counter at your restaurant.

• For real estate

  This industry involves the excessive use of PDFs and documents - starting from property listings, to filling out property requirements, digital catalogs, real estate magazines, to soft copies of house documents. To make these pieces of information more accessible and handy, tech-savvy realtors are opting for PDF QR Codes.

  Multi-campaign (dynamic) QR Codes are especially helpful for the latest property listings because you print and distribute the QR Code once, and then keep updating it with new properties as and when required.

How to create and use QR Codes for businesses

• At educational institutions

  Add a PDF QR Code on educational materials and presentations or lectures to allow students and teachers to access the document easily with a scan. Say goodbye to handing out study materials in person by embedding PDF QR Codes for any subject. Hand out a guide for students to scan the PDF QR Code to access their notes/material.

  Check out: How to use QR Codes in the classroom

• On CPG products for marketing

  With several CPG brands opting for QR Codes, make use of PDF QR Codes to promote your brand and related products by printing them directly on the product packaging. Give your customers a chance to browse through your products, leave feedback, and market new products on any platform with the aid of PDF QR Codes.

  Learn more about QR Codes on product packaging

• On user manuals:

  With most electronic products coming with paper manuals, it is common for customers to misplace the manual easily. Alleviate the hassle of losing paper manuals by printing PDF QR Codes on your product manuals so customers can scan it to read through the manual, leave customer feedback, instructions, and even initiate customer call back with a single scan.

• For resumes

  Use a QR Code generator for resumes to share it as a PDF file with recruiters at events and conferences. Embed the PDF QR Code on your business card and share extensive information accessible with a single scan. Add a suitable frame text to prompt scans from the relevant stakeholders and enrich interactions for the better.

  RELATED: How to add a QR Code to a business card

• For warranty cards

  Instead of using paper invoices, add a QR Code to the product’s packaging to let customers access their warranty cards. All of the information, including the warranty period, date of purchase, and the serial number, will be digitized and readily available on your customer’s smartphone once they scan the PDF QR Code.

• For utility bills

  Often, utility companies mail the monthly bills to customers, leading to a vast amount of paper usage. These companies can reduce that with the help of a PDF QR Code. Upon scanning, customers can view their digital billing invoices in PDF format and access their payment history. Whether it’s water or electricity, let customers receive digitized billing information and view it on their smartphones with ease.

• At offices and workplaces

  During meetings or team collaborations, files and reports are mostly shared as PDF files. Let’s say you wish to share a particular PDF file that discloses a finance report. Only authorized members of your team can view this.

  In order to share this file in a secure and seamless manner, you can make use of password-protected QR Codes . Upon scanning, users will have to enter a password that only authorized employees can access. This ensures that file-sharing is discreet and no information can be leaked unknowingly.

Organizations that use PDF QR Codes

1. CBIC

   Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, India is replacing paper copies of Bill of Entry and Shipping Bills that are usually a PDF with QR Codes that will allow authentication directly.

2. UIDAI

   Indian Citizens can save their Aadhaar card as a QR Code instead of carrying the physical card or the PDF document. This QR Code contains all the information of the PDF.

3. West Egg Cafe

   The West Egg Cafe in Atlanta uses PDF QR Codes to display its menu. This is done to ensure a safe and contactless ordering system.

How to share a PDF QR Code: A few tips

Now that you’ve created your PDF QR Code, here are a few tips on how to share it.

1. Share it over email: Instead of having to download a PDF, users can simply scan the QR Code on their smartphone for on-the-go applications.

Learn more: How to use QR Codes in email marketing

2. Place it on documentation: You can place a PDF QR Code on hard copies of important documents to let users have a soft copy of the same.

3. Add it to study guides: Teachers can add PDF QR Codes to notes that they share with the class to give their students some online resources to understand the course better.

4. Place it on tickets: Instead of having a cluttered design, you can add a PDF QR Code that will let attendees know more about the event - schedule, timings, and headliners. If anything changes, you can edit the PDF QR Code and updated information will be available to all ticket holders.

Check out: Event QR Codes

5. Use it on social media: Utilize PDF QR Codes for social media marketing. Promote your brand’s latest ebook, catalog, or manual using a PDF QR Code on your social media posts online. Customers scrolling through can scan the QR Code and access the PDF instantly.

You might also like: How to create & use an all-in-one social media QR Code

6. Add it to receipts: Employ PDF QR Codes on receipts to share valuable information such as your brand’s product catalogs, detailed guides on product usage, and more to increase customer delight.

Best practices to follow when creating & using PDF QR Codes

• Add the PDF logo at the center of the QR Code

  One of the biggest reasons people refrain from scanning QR Codes is that they do not know what is behind the QR Code. Adding a PDF logo in the center gives an indication of what to expect. You can also choose a logo from one of the several available designs.

• Use the right color palette

  To drive your branding home, leverage your brand colors while creating the PDF QR Code. Choose a color from the color palette that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also reinforces your organization’s branding.

• Give users a reason to scan these QR Codes

  Just like any other marketing campaign, it is important to add a compelling call to action (CTA). A CTA like “scan to view product reviews” or “scan to compare product models” motivates users to scan the PDF QR Code.

• Optimize PDF files for display on mobile devices

  Since PDF QR Codes direct to viewing on mobile devices, the readability of fonts, the size of the PDF and the overall formatting plays a major role. Use PDFs that read well on mobile screens. Avoid using multi-column text in PDFs, as it becomes difficult to navigate through these.

• Pick the right size of QR Codes

  Marketers usually tend to optimize for size, especially on product packages so that multiple other highlights could fit in. But QR Codes that are too small in size tend to go unnoticed and end up being unscannable. These QR Codes should be at a minimum of 1 cm x 1 cm. Check out our QR Code size guide to learn more!

• Select a suitable QR Code format

  It's essential to pick the right QR Code format to ensure that it's scannable on several marketing materials - be it billboards, banners, posters, product packaging, or digital signages. Formats such as PNG or JPG aren't recommended since the QR Code looks blurred or pixelated on increasing its size. It's best to use scalable vector formats such as SVG, PDF, and EPS to avoid any pixelation or distortion.

  Check out QR Code printing guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions for PDF QR Codes

Can I make a QR Code for a PDF file?

Yes, you can make a QR Code for a PDF. Either save the file online and grab the link or upload the PDF to the PDF QR Code Generator and turn your PDF into a QR Code.

How do I scan a QR Code to open a PDF file?

Depending on your OS, QR Code scanning will work differently but generally speaking, QR Code scanning happens through the smartphone’s camera app. Open your camera and point it at the QR Code to start scanning. If you have an iOS device, pull up the Control Center to use the QR Code Reader, or use the native camera.

How to turn a picture into a QR code?

You can save the picture as a PDF and upload or host it online. Then use a good PDF to QR Code converter to create your QR Code. Customize it as needed and download it in the required format. When you scan the QR Code, you will see the picture.

How to turn a file into a QR Code?

Upload a file and generate a QR Code using a QR Code platform. Make sure to test its scannability before printing it. With just a few clicks, you can seamlessly turn a file into a QR Code to share it with the relevant stakeholders.

How do I add a QR Code to a PDF?

To add a QR Code to your PDF, save it as an image - PNG or JPG format and upload it to your PDF. You can also download it in SVG format if you want to add more elements to the QR Code later.

How to create a QR Code for PDF free?

Sign up for the trial and create your PDF QR Codes for free. Since PDF QR Codes are dynamic, they will expire after the 14 day trial.

How to make a QR Code for a word document?

1. Log in to the Beaconstac dashboard.

2. Click ‘+Create QR Code’.

3. Select PDF from the list of campaign types.

4. Upload your word document or paste a link from Google Drive.

5. Customize your QR Code.

6. Test to see if it works.

7. Download the PDF QR Code.

Can you link a QR Code to a PDF?

Yes, you can. You can either upload a PDF file or paste a link to it on the QR Code generator. This is how you can link a QR Code to a PDF.

How to read a QR Code from a PDF?

Open your smartphone’s camera app and point it at the QR Code to scan it from the PDF file. If your phone does not support native QR Code scanning, you can download a QR scanner app to read the QR Code.

Check out: The best QR Code scanner apps

How to generate a QR Code, embed it on a PDF, and email it to a customer?

1. Go to Beaconstac’s QR Code generator.

2. Select a QR Code type and fill in the required fields.

3. Customize your QR Code, generate, and download it.

4. Print your QR Code (we recommend the PNG format for small-sized print media) and add it to your PDF.

5. Attach your PDF file to your email and click Send.