To read a QR code from a PDF, drop the PDF on the reader below. It opens every page, finds each QR code on it, even when a page holds several, and shows what each one contains, with the page number. You do not need to take a screenshot first.
The PDF is opened in your browser and never uploaded, so it is safe for tickets, invoices, boarding passes and bank letters. It works on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone and Android.
How to scan a QR code in a PDF
- Choose the PDF with the button above, or drag it onto the box. On a phone, pick it from Files, Downloads or your email app.
- Wait for the scan. Each page is drawn at high resolution and searched. Several codes on one page are all found, and small codes get a second, enlarged pass.
- Use the result. Copy the text, check a link before you open it, or open the WiFi decoder to see a network password. Each result shows the page it came from.
Why scan the PDF instead of a screenshot
A PDF stores its QR code as sharp vector shapes or a full-size image. A screenshot copies only the pixels on your screen, so a small code on a zoomed-out page can lose the detail a scanner needs. Reading the PDF directly renders every page at about three times screen resolution, which is why codes that fail from a screenshot often read here. It also saves you from scrolling through a long document looking for the code.
What you will find in PDF QR codes
| Document | What the QR code usually holds |
|---|---|
| Event and train tickets, boarding passes | A booking reference or ticket ID. Some boarding passes use Aztec or PDF417 instead of QR; read those with the online barcode scanner or the Aztec code reader. |
| Invoices and bills | A payment link, a payment code such as UPI or EPC, or a link to view the invoice online. |
| eSIM confirmations from carriers | An LPA activation code. The eSIM QR code reader explains how to enter it by hand. |
| Router and WiFi setup guides | A WiFi network and password, shown as text by the reader and in plain fields by the WiFi QR decoder. |
| Menus, brochures and flyers | A website link. Check where it goes before you open it. |
| Two-factor setup letters | An otpauth:// code for an authenticator app. Treat it like a password and never share it. |
If no QR code is found
- The code is tiny or blurred because the PDF holds a low-resolution scan. Zoom in on the code in your PDF viewer, take a screenshot, and try the blurry QR code reader.
- The code is damaged by a fold, a stamp or a faded print in a scanned document. Screenshot it and use QR code repair.
- It is not a QR code. Square codes with a solid L-shaped border are Data Matrix, and wide stacked codes are PDF417. The online barcode scanner reads those from an image.
- The PDF is over 60 pages. Only the first 60 are scanned. Save the pages you need as a smaller PDF and scan that.
Reading a QR code in a PDF on each device
Windows and Mac: drag the PDF from your Downloads folder onto the reader. iPhone: tap Choose PDF, then Browse, and pick the file from Files or iCloud Drive. Android: tap Choose PDF and select it from Downloads or Drive. Chromebook: choose it from the Files app. For codes shown on screen rather than in a file, see how to scan a QR code on a laptop without a camera.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is opened by a reader that runs in your browser (pdf.js, from Mozilla), and the QR codes are decoded on your device. Nothing is sent to our server, so private documents stay private.
Can it read a password-protected PDF?
Yes. The reader asks for the password, and the password is used only in your browser to open the file.
Can it find more than one QR code on a page?
Yes. After each code is found it is covered and the page is searched again, so a page of tickets or labels returns every code, each with its page number.
Can I read a QR code from a PDF on my phone?
Yes. Open this page on your phone, tap Choose PDF and pick the file from your downloads, email attachments or cloud storage. You do not need a second device to point a camera at.
Does it read barcodes in a PDF?
This reader looks for QR codes. For barcodes, PDF417 or Data Matrix codes, take a screenshot of the code and use the online barcode scanner.
A PDF that did not scan? Report a bug (please do not attach private documents). Changelog: 31 October 2026, reader published: all pages, several codes per page, small-code pass, password-protected PDFs.