---
title: "Publish a PDF at a fixed web address (hosted PDF)"
description: "Turn the current version of a PDF into a fixed copy with its own web address for websites, QR codes and email signatures. How it differs from a live link."
url: https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/hosted-pdf-link/
collection: "Sharing & delivery"
section: "Share links"
updated: 2026-10-18
publisher: "PDFBetter (AI Generated Inc.)"
---

# Publish a PDF at a fixed web address (hosted PDF)

> In **Share**, open the **Hosted PDF** tab, set expiry, password and download options, and click **Publish PDF link**. The link always shows the version you published, even after you edit the document. It uses one download from your plan.

- Available on: Free, Pro, Business
- Counts toward: Edited-document downloads

A hosted PDF is a snapshot. Use it for a menu, price list, policy or flyer whose link goes on a website, a printed QR code or an email signature. Use a normal share link when people should see your latest edits, comment or fill.

1. **Finish your edits**: The hosted copy is made from the current version.
2. **Open Share**: Click **Done** → **Share**, then the **Hosted PDF** tab.
3. **Set access**: Choose **Link expires** (**Never** is preselected here), an optional **Password**, and whether to **Allow download**.
4. **Publish**: Click **Publish PDF link**. It appears under **Hosted copies**.
5. **Share it**: Click **Copy link**, or **Show QR code** → **Download QR code** for print.

## Live link vs hosted PDF

|  | Share link | Hosted PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shows | The document as it is now | The version you published |
| Permissions | View, comment, fill or edit | View and download only |
| Plan usage | Downloads count when people download | One download when you publish |
| Counts toward active links | Yes | Yes |

## Updating a hosted PDF

Later edits don't change a hosted copy. To publish an update, create a new hosted link from the edited document and click **Turn off** on the old one. If the old link is already printed on a QR code, it will stop working once turned off, so plan reprints accordingly.

> **No embed code:** PDFBetter doesn't provide an embed code for shared documents, and share pages can't be shown inside another site's frame. Link to the hosted PDF instead. Fillable forms are different: [a published form](https://help.pdfbetter.com/forms/publish-form-fill-link/) has its own link, QR code and embed.

### Does publishing use my downloads?

Yes, one edited-document download from your plan, once, when you publish. Visitors' downloads of the hosted copy don't count again.

### The link still shows the old version.

That's by design: a hosted PDF is fixed. Publish a new one from the updated document.

## Related articles

- [Share a PDF with a link](https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/create-share-link.md): In the editor, click Done → Share, pick what people can do (Can view, Can comment, Can fill or Can edit), set expiry, password and download options, then click Create link and Copy link.
- [Turn off, replace or email a share link](https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/manage-share-links.md): Open Done → Share. Every link to the document is listed with its permission, expiry and views. Click Turn off to stop a link immediately, or Email this link to send it. To change a link's settings, create a new one and turn the old one off.
- [See who opened, downloaded or filled your shared links](https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/share-link-activity.md): Open Link activity in the sidebar. You'll see activity per day, Links by recent activity, form responses and Recent events (viewed, downloaded, commented, filled in, wrong password, opened after expiry). Your plan keeps activity for 14 days on Free.
- [Publish a form as a fill link and collect responses](https://help.pdfbetter.com/forms/publish-form-fill-link.md): Build the fields, then choose Done → Publish as form, set the title and options, and select Publish form. You get a link, a QR code and embed code. Respondents don't need an account, and every submission is stored as data and as its own filled PDF.

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Source: https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/hosted-pdf-link/ · PDFBetter Help Center · Last checked against the product 2026-10-18. Questions: support@pdfbetter.com