Skip to content
Sign in Start free

QR code certificates

A QR code on every certificate, linked to the real thing

Every certificate you issue gets its own link and certificate ID. Put a QR code on the design and anyone holding the certificate can scan it to open the copy hosted on CertSeal.

Start free Read the editor guide

How it works

One QR code in the design, a unique link for every recipient

You don't generate codes one by one. CertSeal fills each recipient's own link into the same QR code when it renders their certificate.

A QR code on every certificate

Drop a QR code onto your design and point it at {{cert_link}}. Each recipient's certificate gets its own code — no generating and pasting one image per person.

A permanent certificate page

The code opens the recipient's certificate hosted on CertSeal, with their name, course, issuer, and certificate ID — the same certificate you issued, not a screenshot of it.

Unique certificate IDs

Every certificate gets a sequential ID such as CERT-2026-000123-000042, or bring your own from a certificate_id column. Print it next to the QR code with {{certificate_id}}.

Works on paper

Recipients download a print-ready PDF from their certificate page. The QR code still opens the hosted copy when someone scans the printed certificate on a wall or in a portfolio.

Links that don't break

Archiving a batch freezes it but keeps every certificate link and QR code working, so the codes you printed last year still resolve today.

Fix a typo without reprinting links

Correct a misspelled name after sending and the same link shows the corrected certificate. The QR code on any copy you already shared keeps pointing to the right place.

The QR flow

From design to scannable certificate in four steps

  1. 01

    Add a QR code

    Open the QR Codes tab in the certificate editor, place the code, and set its value to {{cert_link}}. Change its colors to match your design.

  2. 02

    Import recipients

    Upload a CSV or XLSX with names and emails. CertSeal assigns each recipient a certificate ID and a unique certificate link.

  3. 03

    Send

    Email every recipient their certificate. Each one carries a QR code that opens their own certificate page — never someone else's.

  4. 04

    Scan to check

    Anyone holding the certificate scans the code and sees the hosted copy, so they can compare the name, course, issuer, and ID with what's in front of them.

Questions about QR codes

What issuers ask before they print

What does someone see when they scan the QR code?
The recipient's certificate, hosted on CertSeal, with their name, the course and issuer, and the certificate ID. They can zoom in and download the PDF from the same page.
Do I have to create a QR code for each recipient?
No. You add one QR code to the design and set it to {{cert_link}}. CertSeal fills in each recipient's own link when it renders their certificate.
Can I use my own certificate numbers?
Yes. Add a certificate_id column to your recipient file and CertSeal uses your values. Leave it out and every certificate gets an automatic ID in the format CERT-YEAR-WORKSPACE-SEQUENCE.
What happens to the link if I edit a certificate after sending it?
The link stays the same. The certificate page shows the updated version, and the next PDF download is regenerated with your changes.
Do the links stop working when I archive a batch?
No. Archiving hides the batch from your active list but every certificate link — and every QR code that points to one — keeps working.

Issue your first QR code certificate

Free for your first 100 certificates a year — no credit card required.

Start free