### [How to Generate a PDF From WPForms (Step by Step)](https://wpforms.com/how-to-generate-branded-pdfs-with-wpforms/) **Published:** January 1, 2026 **Author:** Hamza Shahid **Excerpt:** A new client just signed up through your form. What’s the next step? Manually creating a certificate, a contract, or their first PDF invoice? That manual process is where costly mistakes happen. A typo in the contract, the wrong total on an invoice, or an outdated certificate all make you look unprofessional from the very start. With WPForms, you can generate a PDF from every form submission without touching a thing. The built-in PDF Addon handles invoices, certificates, contracts, and notification summaries. **Content:** A new client just signed up through your form. What’s the next step? Manually creating a certificate, a contract, or their first PDF invoice? That manual process is where costly mistakes happen. A typo in the contract, the wrong total on an invoice, or an outdated certificate all make you look unprofessional from the very start. With WPForms, you can generate a PDF from every form submission without touching a thing. The built-in PDF Addon handles invoices, certificates, contracts, and notification summaries. [Generate PDFs With WPForms](https://wpforms.com/pricing) ## How to Generate Branded PDFs with WPForms Now, let’s get this set up on your site. Follow these instructions to automate your document workflow in just a few minutes. - [Step 1: Install the WPForms Plugin](#step-1-install-the-wpforms-plugin) - [Step 2: Activate the PDF Addon](#step-2-activate-the-pdf-addon) - [Step 3: Create or Edit Your Form](#step-3-create-or-edit-your-form) - [Step 4: Set Up Your PDF Configuration](#step-4-set-up-your-pdf-configuration) - [Step 5: Choose Your Template and Style](#step-5-choose-your-template-category-and-style) - [Step 6: Test and Launch Your PDF System](#step-6-test-and-launch-your-pdf-system) ### Step 1: Install the WPForms Plugin Most form plugins make you jump through hoops to create professional documents. WPForms takes a different approach by including PDF generation as a core feature. With [WPForms Pro](https://wpforms.com/pricing/ "WPForms Pro"), you get access to the PDF Addon, plus other powerful features like Stripe payments, conditional logic, and email marketing integrations. [![The WPForms homepage](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WPForms-Website.png)](https://wpforms.com/pricing/)If you haven’t installed WPForms yet, go ahead and do that first. It only takes a minute. And if you’re not sure how to install a plugin in WordPress, you can check out this [step-by-step guide](https://wpforms.com/docs/install-wpforms-plugin/ "step-by-step guide") for help. Once it’s installed and ready to go, you’ll have everything you need to start building a branded PDF with consistent styling and zero coding required. [Get WPForms Pro Now! 🙂](https://wpforms.com/pricing/) ### Step 2: Activate the PDF Addon After you’ve installed the WPForms plugin and activated it, head to your WordPress dashboard and go to **WPForms » Addons**. ![wpforms addons](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/WPForms-Addons-1024x696.png)In the search bar, type “PDF”. Once the WPForms PDF Addon shows up, click on the **Install Addon** button and then after a few seconds Activate it. ![install pdf addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/install-pdf-addon-1024x575.png)The [PDF addon](https://wpforms.com/features/pdf-addon/) generates styled PDFs from your form entries automatically. It includes multiple template categories, 40+ color themes, and full control over your branding. ##### Note: Make sure you’re running WPForms 1.9.7.3 or higher and have a Pro license, since the PDF addon requires both. You can confirm your license in **WPForms » Settings » License**. ### Step 3: Create or Edit Your Form Before diving into PDF settings, you need a form with the right fields for your document. Navigate to **WPForms » Add New** to create a new form. ![Add New Form](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/wpforms-add-new-form-1024x509.png)Next, choose a template that matches your goal. For invoices, start with the [Order Form template](https://wpforms.com/templates/billing-order-form-template/ "Order Form template"). For certificates, try the Event Registration form. ![wpforms templates](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wpforms-templates-1024x800.png)You can also use [Generate With AI](https://wpforms.com/docs/generating-forms-with-wpforms-ai/ "WPForms AI") to quickly speed up the form creation process. Hovering over it displays the **Generate Form** button. You’ll need to click on this button to proceed. ![click-generate-form-button](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/click-generate-form-button-1024x685.png)You can also use the **Blank Form** if you prefer starting from scratch. Include **Name** and **Email** fields for personalization, **Dropdown** or **Checkbox** fields for services or products, and Number fields for quantities or amounts. It is best to think about the final document when adding fields. For instance, a course registration form might need Course Name, Start Date, and Instructor fields to generate proper certificates. ##### Pro Tip: Use descriptive field labels since these often appear as headers in your PDF. Instead of “Field 1”, use “Course Completion Date” or “Invoice Number” for professional-looking documents. ### Step 4: Set Up Your PDF Configuration With your form ready, navigate to **Settings » PDF** in the form builder. Click the **Add New PDF** button to create your first document. ![add new pdf](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/add-new-pdf-1024x515.png)Give your PDF a descriptive name in the popup window and click **OK**. You’ll see the PDF editor with a live preview on the left and all customization options on the right. ![PDF form settings](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/PDF-form-settings-1024x657.png)Start by configuring the basic settings. The **File Name** field defaults to your form name plus “.pdf”, but you can customize it or add smart tags for dynamic names like “Invoice-{entry\_id}.pdf”. Every time someone submits your form, WPForms pulls in their data and generates the PDF automatically. You don’t need to copy anything over or format a single field by hand. Choose which email notifications should include this PDF as an attachment, and enable **Conditional Logic** if you only want PDFs generated under specific conditions. ### Step 5: Choose Your Template and Style The PDF addon includes four template categories, each designed for different business needs. - **Notifications** match email styles for simple summaries. - **Documents** offer flexible layouts for contracts and applications. - **Financial** templates are built specifically for invoices and billing. - **Certificates** provide award and completion layouts. Select a **Category** from the dropdown, then pick a **Style** within that category. For this tutorial, I’ll be using the **Financial** category and **Modern** style, since I want to create a PDF invoice. ![PDF financial template](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/PDF-financial-template-1024x554.png)If you’re unsure about which template and style to use, feel free to click the **View All Templates** button to browse every option with live previews. ![view all pdf templates](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/view-all-pdf-templates-1024x338.png)Now comes the fun part of making the template yours. Click any field in the settings panel to see a red outline around it in the preview, so you know exactly what you’re editing. Replace placeholder text with your own content. For larger content areas, use the built-in text editor to add headings, bold text, bullet points, and even HTML formatting. The real power comes from smart tags. Click the **Smart Tag** icon next to any field and select from your form fields to pull in dynamic data, like using the Form ID as the Invoice Number. ![pdf form field smart tags](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pdf-form-field-smart-tags-1001x1024.png)You can also change text colors using the color picker next to each field, and toggle optional elements like badges or signature blocks on or off based on your needs. ![pdf addon badge](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pdf-addon-badge-1024x682.png)Next, head to the **Appearance** section to make the PDF truly yours. Choose from over 40 pre-made themes in the **Theme** dropdown, each showing color previews to help you decide quickly. ![pdf settings appearance](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pdf-settings-appearance-1024x360.png)Want to customize further? Click **Edit Theme Colors** to adjust the palette. WPForms automatically creates a copy of the theme instead of overwriting the original, so you can always revert back. ![edit theme colors pdf](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/edit-theme-colors-pdf-1024x996.png)You can also upload your logo by clicking **Upload Image** (supports .png, .gif, .jpg, and .svg files). Set the logo **Size** to Small, Medium, Large, or Full, and choose its **Position** as Left, Center, or Right. ![PDF logo and preview](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/PDF-logo-and-preview-1024x588.png)### Step 6: Test and Launch Your PDF System After creating your form and setting up your PDF, click **Save** to preserve your settings, then submit a test entry to see your PDF in action. Go to **WPForms » Entries** and click **View** on your test submission. ![click to view individual entry](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/click-to-view-individual-entry-1024x512.png)You’ll find a download link in the PDF section of the entry page. Open it to review the formatting, branding, and dynamic content population. ![generated pdf](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/generated-pdf-addon-1024x686.png)If you’ve set up the PDF as an email attachment, check your inbox too. Make sure the PDF arrived with the notification and that it looks right when opened from the email. For a full walkthrough on that setup, see how to [send a PDF attachment in notification emails](https://wpforms.com/how-to-send-a-pdf-attachment-in-a-form-notification-email/). Also open the PDF on your phone to confirm the layout holds up on smaller screens. If everything looks good, publish your form and start collecting submissions. You can review and download all your generated PDFs from the WPForms [entry management](https://wpforms.com/features/entry-management/) dashboard. ##### Pro Tip: Always test with realistic data before going live. Submit a form entry with a long company name or special characters to make sure your PDF template handles edge cases gracefully. ### FAQs on How to Create Branded PDFs with WPForms Learning how to create branded PDFs with WPForms is a popular topic of interest among our readers. Here are answers to some common queries about it: #### What types of PDFs can I create with WPForms? The PDF addon supports four main document types: - simple notification summaries that match your email styles, - flexible documents like contracts and applications, - financial documents such as invoices and receipts, - professional certificates for courses or awards. Each category includes multiple design styles to match your branding needs. #### Do I need coding skills to customize PDF templates? Not at all. The PDF addon includes a visual editor with drag-and-drop customization. You can edit text, change colors, upload logos, and insert dynamic content using smart tags, all through an intuitive interface with live preview. #### Can I create multiple PDF types from the same form? Yes, you can set up multiple PDFs for a single form. Use conditional logic to generate different documents based on user selections like sending invoices to paying customers and simple receipts to free downloads, all from the same registration form. #### How secure are the generated PDFs? WPForms includes access restrictions for PDFs. You can limit viewing to logged-in users, specific user roles, or protect documents with passwords. This keeps sensitive information like invoices and contracts secure while still allowing easy distribution to authorized recipients. #### Can I automatically email PDFs to form submitters? Absolutely. In the PDF settings, choose which email notifications should include your PDF as an attachment. The document gets generated and sent automatically when someone submits your form. #### What WPForms license do I need for the PDF addon? The PDF addon requires a Pro license or higher. This also gives you access to conditional logic, payment processing, email marketing integrations, and 40+ other powerful addons to create complete business automation workflows. #### Can I generate PDFs from existing form entries? Yes. The PDF addon uses your form entry data to build each document, so it works with both new submissions and entries that were already in your system when you activated the addon. Once your PDF configuration is set up, every new submission generates the document automatically. #### What’s the difference between the WPForms PDF addon and third-party PDF plugins? The WPForms PDF addon is built directly into the plugin. It shares the same form data, conditional logic, and notification system that WPForms already uses, so there’s nothing extra to configure separately. Third-party PDF plugins connect through hooks, which can mean extra setup and they may not support every WPForms feature natively. If you want a deeper look at document use cases, see [turning form submissions into contracts and invoices](https://wpforms.com/turning-form-submissions-into-contracts-and-invoices/). ### Next, How to Add a Camera Field to Your WordPress Form Have you ever tried to upload a photo to a form and found yourself scrolling through tons of screenshots, memes, and vacation pics just to find the right one? That’s why the [Camera field in WPForms](https://wpforms.com/how-to-add-a-camera-field-to-your-wordpress-form-step-by-step/ "Camera field in WPForms") feels like a small miracle. It lets people take a photo or video instantly, right from their device’s camera, without ever leaving the form. [Create Your WordPress Form Now! 🙂](https://wpforms.com/pricing/) Ready to build your form? Get started today with the easiest WordPress form builder plugin. [WPForms Pro](https://wpforms.com/pricing) includes lots of free templates and offers a 14-day money-back guarantee. If this article helped you out, please follow us on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/wpforms) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/easywpforms) for more free WordPress tutorials and guides. **Categories:** WordPress Tutorials **Tags:** branded pdfs, pdf addon, pdf notifications, pdf styling, wordpress pdf forms, wpforms pro ---