Certificate Maker
Design a printable certificate in a minute. Choose one of six original templates, type your text, adjust fonts and colours, and download a high-resolution PDF or PNG, or create certificates for a whole list of names at once.
How to use the Certificate Maker
- Pick a template and choose A4 or Letter paper.
- Edit the text: title, recipient name, description, date, organisation and signers.
- Adjust fonts and colours until the preview looks right.
- Download the certificate as PDF or PNG.
- For many people, paste one name per line in Batch names and press Generate batch PDF to get one multi-page PDF or a ZIP with one PDF per name.
What to write on a certificate
Most certificates follow the same structure, which is why the form is laid out in this order:
- Title: the type of certificate, e.g. Certificate of Achievement, Completion, Appreciation, Participation or Excellence.
- Presentation line: "This certificate is proudly presented to", "is hereby awarded to" or "This is to certify that".
- Recipient: the full name, spelled the way the person prefers.
- Description: one or two sentences saying what it is for, e.g. "for successfully completing the 12-week First Aid course (24 hours)".
- Date, organisation and signatures: they make the certificate verifiable and personal.
Common certificate types and wording
| Title | Typical use | Example description |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Completion | Courses, training, workshops | for successfully completing the Introduction to Python course |
| Certificate of Achievement | Reaching a goal or level | for reading 50 books during the summer reading challenge |
| Certificate of Appreciation | Volunteers, speakers, staff | in grateful recognition of 10 years of dedicated service |
| Certificate of Participation | Events, competitions, camps | for taking part in the 2026 Regional Science Fair |
| Award of Excellence | Top performance | for outstanding sales results in the first quarter |
| Employee of the Month | Workplace recognition | for exceptional teamwork and customer care in October |
Paper sizes and print quality
A4 landscape measures 297 × 210 mm (841.89 × 595.28 PDF points) and is standard in most of the world. US Letter landscape measures 11 × 8.5 in (792 × 612 points) and is standard in the United States and Canada. The design is rendered at about 250 pixels per inch, about 2,920 × 2,065 pixels for A4, which is sharp at normal viewing distance. Print at actual size or 100% so the borders are not cropped or scaled.
Tips for batch certificates
- Paste names straight from a spreadsheet column: each line becomes one certificate. Empty lines are ignored.
- Choose one multi-page PDF to print everything in one go, or a ZIP of PDFs to email each person their own file (files are named after the person, e.g. certificate-priya-shah.pdf).
- Very long names shrink automatically to fit the line, but check the preview with the longest name in your list first.
Frequently asked questions
Is this certificate maker really free?
Yes. All templates, PDF and PNG downloads and batch creation are free, with no sign-up and no watermark on your certificates.
How do I make certificates for a whole class or team?
Type or paste the names into the Batch names box, one name per line. Choose whether you want a single PDF with one page per person or a ZIP file containing a separate PDF for each name, then press Generate batch PDF. Every other field stays the same on all certificates.
What size are the certificates?
Certificates are landscape A4 (297 × 210 mm) or US Letter (11 × 8.5 in). The PDF page has exactly that size and the design is embedded at about 250 pixels per inch, which prints sharply on home and office printers.
How should I print a certificate?
Open the PDF and print at 100% or actual size on the matching paper. Heavier paper such as 160–250 g/m² card stock looks more official. Many home printers cannot print to the very edge, so a thin white margin may appear around full-colour designs.
Can I use my own fonts or logo?
The tool uses fonts that are built into most devices, grouped as serif, sans-serif, classic and script styles, so certificates look the same without downloads. Uploading custom logos is not supported in this version.
Are my names and texts stored or uploaded?
No. The certificate is drawn and converted to PDF inside your browser. Your settings are remembered only in this browser so you can continue later; nothing is sent to a server.