Export & download credentials in PDF

Generate printable credentials with a PDF certificate generator online

Create digital certificates that can be easily converted into professional PDF documents. Enable your recipients to download their credentials in a PDF format that can be safely distributed, easily viewed on various devices, and printed in high quality. With Certifier, you can export your issued credentials into a PDF format from your dashboard with one click - and your recipients can download their unique certificates as PDF documents straight from their credential portal.

Awarding winning PDF certificates generator online

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How to generate credentials in PDF using Certifier for free

Certifier allows you to export all your issued certificates in a PDF format and lets your recipients download theirs as PDF documents. This means that every certificate you issue can be securely shared and printed in high quality. Follow the steps below to learn how to generate credentials in PDF with Certifier.

Step 1: Sign up for Certifier

Join Certifier to generate digital certificates and badges in a matter of minutes. With a Certifier account, you can easily design credentials customized to your branding and aesthetic preferences for free. Thanks to features like our visual design builder and bulk certificate generator, you can not only create professionally-looking credentials without design skills but also generate hundreds of certificates at once.

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2.1 Start a new certificate design

To design your certificate, head over to the Designs tab. If you've already signed up for Certifier and created various certificate designs in the past, simply select the one you want to continue working on. If not, create a new one.

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2.2 Choose your preferred certificate template

Go to the Templates tab to explore over 500 pre-designed certificate templates in Certifier's collection. Simply browse the templates and select the one that best aligns with your preferences and branding needs. You can filter the templates by category, style, orientation, and color using the Filter feature. 

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2.3 Customize your chosen certificate template

You can customize any certificate from Certifier's library. You can tailor it all - remove unwanted elements, add your company logo and custom background, change colors and fonts, and adjust the text. When uploading your company logo or custom background, make sure they're in high resolution to avoid any blurriness when printed.

2.4 Add a QR code to your certificate

With Certifier, you can add a scannable QR code to your certificate design. Once issued, every recipient will receive their certificate with a unique QR code scannable in both digital and printed versions of the certificate. Adding a QR code to your credentials will enable your recipients to instantly verify their certificates, especially from a printed copy, just by scanning it with their phone.

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2.5 Finalize your design 

Once you check that all the information on the certificate is accurate, finalize your design by clicking the "Create Certificate Design" button in the right-hand corner of the design canvas. 

Step 3: Issue and send your certificate

Once you issue your certificate to your recipients’ list, your recipients will be able to download their certificates in a PDF format themselves from their credential portal. You’ll also be able to export each certificate into a PDF document and send it to its corresponding recipient. Here’s how to issue your certificates with Certifier in 3 steps.  

3.1 Create a group of recipients

To issue your certificate to your recipients, start by creating a group of recipients. To do this, go to the Groups tab from the main menu and click “Create Group.” This will take you to a group creation screen where you will be asked to fill out information such as the group’s name and description and select the corresponding credential design. 

3.2 Add a list of recipients 

After you've created your group, you'll need to add your recipients. To do this, head to the "Credentials" tab in the main menu. Click on "Issue Certificates or Badges." Then, select the group you just created and start adding your recipients' names, email addresses, and other relevant details of your recipients. You can add your recipients to the group by typing their details one by one, or you can import the entire list at once from a spreadsheet. 

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3.3 Issue certificates to your recipients’ list

Once you’re all set, it’s time to issue your certificate to every recipient on your list. With Certifier, you can send hundreds of certificates at once with one click of a button. To do that, go to the certificate preview view and click the "Send and Publish" button. This action will email the corresponding certificate to each recipient you've listed. From there, they will be able to see their corresponding certificate from their credential view and download it in a PDF format. 

Step 4: Export your issued certificate in PDF

Exporting certificates into PDF documents couldn’t be easier with Certifier. You can do it in three ways. 

4.1 Export credentials into PDFs individually

Go to the Credentials tab and select the certificate you’d like to export. From the credential view, click “Export” in the top-left corner of the screen and select “Download PDF.” This will automatically send the PDF certificate via email to your inbox. Before exporting, check whether the recipient’s data and the issue and expiration dates of the certificate are correct.   

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4.2 Export credentials into PDFs in bulk 

Certifier allows you to export multiple credentials into PDF documents at once. To do this, simply go to Credentials and select all the certificates you’d like to export. If you’d like to export all certificates for a particular group of recipients, use the Filter feature to select your desired group. It will display the list of all the recipients in the group, with their respective certificates. Then, select them all and click “Export” and “Download PDF.” This will email you a ZIP file containing all selected PDFs.

4.3 Enable recipients to download credentials as PDFs

With Certifiier, you can generate digital certificates that your recipients can download as PDF documents by clicking “Download” from their recipient portal view.

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See why our customers choose Certifier

Saves time and gets work done! As part of a large organization, we create certificates for employees and our NGO... Certifier helped create certificates for all in a short time.

Mahevish Fatima - avatar

Mahevish Fatima

Social Media Marketer

Amazing Technology and User Experience! Favorite feature is the branding and marketing capabilities of the platform... I can white label this as well.

Katona Payne - avatar

Katona Payne

Marketing Director

Certifier helps with issuing digital credentials easily. A customer success manager walked me through creating my first badge and certificate. Very helpful!

Adam Van Auken - avatar

Adam Van Auken

Director of Technology

All-in-one certificate software

A comprehensive solution for all your certificate creation needs. Create certificates with a PDF certificates generator online and export them into PDF instantly.

The simplest way to generate credentials in PDF

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Print certificates in high quality

Allow your recipients to print high-quality physical copies of their certificates that mirror the original design to the tiniest detail. With PDF certificates, your recipients will be able to proudly display the physical version of their credentials on office walls, in study spaces, or at home, creating a tangible connection to their success.

easy-to-access

Make certificates easy to access

With PDF certificates, your recipients will be able to download their credentials on their preferred device and view them whenever they need, even without an internet connection. Plus, they'll be able to print their certificates into physical copies that they can use in their job or school applications or proudly display on their walls.

easily-shareable

Ensure secure sharing

Put an end to your worries about insecure document sharing and virus-laden files. When shared as PDF documents, your recipients' credentials are encrypted, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure. This means that their private information stays private, whether they're sharing their credentials digitally or storing them.

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Distribute certificates digitally

Imagine a streamlined certificate distribution process where everything can be managed remotely. By providing your recipients with the option to export and download their certificates as PDF documents from their credential portal, you eliminate physical distribution tasks and costly shipping.

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Reissue certificates with ease

Updates, change requests, or reissuing expired credentials is a daily hassle for many certificate issuers. With digital certificates that can be easily exported into PDF documents, you can effortlessly reissue updated certificates to recipients, all without the fuss of reprinting and redistributing physical copies.

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Go digital and go green

Switching to digital certificate generation and distribution will save you the money and time you'd spend on printing and shipping certificates. It's a low-cost and eco-friendly way to issue more certificates in less time. Plus, going digital means going green - fostering a connection with those who care about our planet.

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Generate PDF certificates in bulk

Avoid manually exporting each credential into a PDF document. With Certifier, you can download multiple certificates as PDFs at once. Save time and effort by downloading hundreds of PDF certificates in bulk, especially when you're dealing with a large number of recipients.

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Download PDFs in ZIP format

Leave the time-consuming and tedious manual work to automation. Download multiple certificates as PDF documents in a single compressed ZIP file, streamlining your document management process. ZIP files also offer an added layer of security for your PDF certificates during transfer and storage.

Certifier is ranked no.1 on G2 for digital credential management software

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Did you know?

Did you know that switching to digital certificate generation and distribution can save you over 70% of the costs related to your certification process? That's why many organizations choose to create their certificates online and distribute them via PDF documents. With a PDF certificates generator online, you can create and deliver PDF certificates in a matter of minutes, whether it's for a single recipient or a whole bunch. Aside from money and time, switching from paper to digital certificates can save the frustration of slow delivery and the hassle of re-printing and re-sending missing or updated certificates.

Create and send digital credentials

Design, issue, send, and track highly personalized certificates & badges in minutes.

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Best practices to use a PDF certificates generator online

Design branded certificates

90% of recipients share their PDF certificates with their professional and personal network. Creating professionally-looking certificates that align with your brand's identity offers a chance to enhance brand visibility and raise brand awareness among the recipients' network and beyond. Adding your company logo to each certificate you issue and aligning the design of your credentials to your brand aesthetic can help you maintain a consistent brand image across all touchpoints and position yourself as a credible and trustworthy institution.

Optimize design for screen and print

With PDF certificates, your recipients will be able to print their credentials into physical copies and view them on the screen of their preferred device. To make sure your certificate looks great on screen and in print, optimize its design for both. Choose a balanced color palette and legible fonts, use high-quality images and graphic elements, and maintain a clean, organized layout with appropriate margins and spacing. Carefully leverage the HEX, HSB, and RGB color codes to maintain the same vibrant hues and contrast both on screen and in print.

Keep the design clean

The quality of certificates you issue can make or break your reputation as a professional and trustworthy institution. To make sure your certificates are professionally designed and look great as a PDF document, keep the layout clean and minimalistic. Avoid overcrowding the certificate design with excessive graphics or text, which could make it appear cluttered. Similarly, avoid hard-to-read fonts and unprofessional images. As a rule of thumb, steer clear of elements that compromise clarity and undermine your institution's credibility and professionalism.

Use high-quality images and elements

Blurry or pixelated images can detract from the overall quality of the certificate, whether it's viewed on screen or printed into a physical document. To avoid coming across as an unprofessional institution due to low-quality certificate design, make sure to use only high-resolution images and logos. This will help you maintain the clarity and professionalism of your credential design and ensure that your certificates look crisp as PDF documents, both on screen and in print. To ensure an image is high-resolution and suitable for print, use images with a minimum DPI of 300.

Choose easy-to-read fonts

To ensure your certificates look clean and professional as PDF documents, whether viewed on screen or on paper, opt for fonts that strike a balance between legibility and aesthetics. Clarity is key – your chosen certificate fonts should look aesthetically pleasing while being very easy to read. Steer clear of overly decorative and intricate fonts. Even though these fancy fonts might look good on a digital screen, they can become hard to read when printed. Ideally, stick with clean and minimalistic serif and sans serif fonts.

Maintain a clear visual hierarchy

Guide the viewer's eye to what matters most by keeping a clear visual hierarchy on your PDF certificate. Make sure that the key details are easily noticeable to draw the viewer’s eye. Use larger font sizes or bold text for crucial elements like the recipient's name, play with color contrast to differentiate headings and subheadings, and strategically place graphic elements, such as lines, shapes, or icons, to guide the reader's eye and emphasize the hierarchy of the information.

Double-check all information

Imagine the disappointment of a recipient who excitedly opens the certificate they've been waiting for, only to find their name misspelled. While such errors are normal, they can undermine your credibility as the issuing organization - unless you fix them quickly and effortlessly. Still, it's better to triple-check all elements of your certificate design to prevent these mistakes from happening. So, before issuing your certificates and exporting them into PDF documents, check the spelling, dates, titles, and other relevant details.

Add a scannable QR code

With Certifier, you can easily integrate QR codes into your certificates. Enable your recipients and anyone in their network to access their credentials on any mobile device by scanning a QR code. When a recipient shares their certificate with another person in PDF format, they can conveniently scan the code to access the digital version of the credential and verify it with one click. Adding a QR code to your PDF credentials boosts your reputation as a forward-thinking institution that follows modern trends.

Got a question?

Find the answers to the most popular questions about generating certificates in a PDF format using Ceritifer. If you can’t find an answer to your question, get in touch with us.

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A comprehensive solution for all your certificate creation needs. Create certificates with a PDF certificates generator online and export them into PDF instantly.