- What CSV format does this certificate generator accept?
- Any plain CSV file with a header row works. The file can have as many columns as you like — e.g.
name,course,date,instructor. After uploading you select which column contains the recipient names. The tool uses PapaParse, which handles common CSV quirks such as quoted fields, commas inside values, and Windows-style line endings automatically.
- What image size and format should I use for the certificate template?
- Both PNG and JPG are supported. For crisp print quality use 300 dpi: A4 landscape is 3508 × 2480 px, US Letter landscape is 3300 × 2550 px. The PDF page is sized to match your image exactly, so a 300 dpi image produces a print-quality PDF at the matching paper size. Lower-resolution images still work but may look soft when printed large.
- How do I position the name accurately on the certificate?
- Click anywhere on the preview image after uploading your template — the click sets the X and Y position fields in percent of the image dimensions. Fine-tune with the number inputs. The preview updates live so you can see exactly where the name will land before generating the full PDF. You can also choose left, center, or right alignment relative to that anchor point.
- Is there a limit on how many certificates I can generate?
- There is no server-side limit because everything runs in your browser. Practical limits depend on your device's memory. A batch of 500 certificates with a 1 MB template image typically takes under 30 seconds on a modern laptop. Very large template images (10 MB+) or extremely large batches (1000+ rows) may be slow on older hardware — consider compressing the template first if that is an issue.
- Is my data private? Are my names or images sent to a server?
- No data leaves your device. The CSV is parsed by PapaParse in JavaScript, the image is read by the FileReader API, and the PDF is assembled by pdf-lib — all entirely in your browser tab. There are no analytics on your file contents, no uploads, and no accounts required. You can even use this tool offline after the page has loaded.
- What fonts are available for the certificate name text?
- The tool includes the full set of Standard Type 1 fonts built into every PDF viewer: Helvetica (regular, bold, italic, bold italic), Times Roman (regular, bold, italic, bold italic), and Courier (regular, bold). These embed without any extra download and render consistently across all PDF viewers and printers. If you need a custom or decorative font, design it into your template image as an image element rather than relying on PDF text.