PDF417 — Barcode Format Guide & Generator
PDF417 is a one-dimensional linear symbology in the Stacked family. High-capacity stacked barcode used in logistics and ID documents. You meet stacked codes wherever structured documents travel: government IDs, boarding passes, parcel labels, patient records and parts marking.
- Category
- Stacked
- Symbol
- Linear (1D) bars
- Data
- Plain text within the symbology’s character set and length limits
- Example
- PDF417 Example
Data format
Enter the payload as plain text. The encoder enforces each symbology’s character set and length rules, and rejects out-of-spec input with a clear message instead of silently producing a bad symbol.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- The multi-row layout packs long payloads into limited label space.
Limitations
- Mainstream phones and retail scanners will not decode it — only the dedicated system that expects it.
Generate one in QrDeco
- Open QrDeco and choose PDF417 from the format list.
- Type or paste your data — for example PDF417 Example.
- Adjust size, colours, quiet zone or human-readable text in the style panel if you need them.
- Export an SVG or PDF for print, or a PNG for screens — generated locally in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
Options
- Error correction (0-8): from 0 to 8 — set it to 0 to let the encoder choose automatically.
- Columns (1-30): from 1 to 30 — set it to 0 to let the encoder choose automatically.
Scanning and printing tips
- Rows must be read in one scanner sweep: keep row heights even and print resolution high.
- Leave the quiet zones clear — blank space on both sides of the bars is part of the symbol.
- Print dark bars on a light background; red-only bars can vanish under red laser light.
- Keep the bars vertical to the scan direction and print at the symbol’s standard magnification.
- Verify one printed sample with a real scanner before committing to a full run.
Related formats
More from the Stacked family, plus the family overview: