How to Use the Print Layout in QGIS

Luisa Zuccolo

1. Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create maps and cartographic documents ready for export or printing by using the various layout tools available in QGIS.

The final map will display Brazilian States (Federative Units) and Municipalities, as shown in Figure 1, along with a legend and other map elements that enhance the cartographic presentation.


Figure 1 – Final map created in this tutorial

 

2. Required resources

To complete this tutorial, you will need the following resources: 

Figure 2 – Extracted shapefile datasets

3. Initial software configuration

After installing QGIS, open the software and configure the appropriate Coordinate Reference System (CRS) for your project.

For most projects in Brazil, the recommended CRS is SIRGAS 2000.

To configure it:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + P.
  2. Search for and select the desired CRS.
  3. Follow the example shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 – Coordinate Reference System (CRS) configuration

4. Adding Layers

Add the shapefiles for:

  • States (ipcUF)
  • Municipalities (ipcMunic)

Configure the colors according to Figure 4.

Figure 4 – State and municipality shapefiles

5. Creating a New Print Layout

Go to Project > New Print Layout (or press Ctrl + P) as shown in Figure 5.

Enter a name for the layout, such as Atlas, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 5 – Creating a new layout

 

Figure 6 – Defining the layout name

6. Adding the Map

In the new layout window:

  1. Click Add Map.
  2. Draw the map frame on the page.
  3. Adjust its size and position as needed (Figure 7).
Figure 7 – Map added to the layout

All tools for editing layout elements can be found on the right side under Item Properties (Figure 8).

Figure 8 – Item Properties panel

7. Adding a Title

Add a map title using the Add Label tool (Figure 9).

Edit the label properties in the Item Properties panel to customize:

  • Text
  • Font
  • Size
  • Alignment
  • Color
Figure 9 – Creating the map title

8. Creating an Information Box

Add a rectangle at the bottom of the page to contain supplementary map information (Figure 10).

Configure the rectangle with:

  • Transparent or white fill
  • Black border
Figure 10 – Rectangle for additional map information

9. Adding a Scale Bar

Insert a scale bar using the Add Scale Bar tool, as shown in Figure 11.

Adjust:

  • Units
  • Segment size
  • Style
  • Font
Figure 11 – Scale bar added to the map

10. Adding a Legend

Insert a legend using the Add Legend tool (Figure 12).

Modify the legend settings if necessary through the Item Properties panel.

Figure 12 – Adding a legend

11. Adding a North Arrow

From the left toolbar:

  1. Select a north arrow symbol.
  2. Place it on the map, preferably near the scale bar.
  3. Adjust its size and appearance through the Item Properties panel.
Figure 13 – Adding a north arrow to the map elements

12. Exporting the Layout

After completing the page design, export the layout as:

  • Image
  • SVG
  • PDF
Figure 14 – Final layout result

For the best cartographic quality, export the map as a PDF (Figure 15) and preserve vector graphics during export (Figure 16).

Figure 15 – Selecting the output format
Figure 16 – Exporting as vectors

Final Result

Your map is now ready to be:

  • Shared digitally
  • Included in reports and presentations
  • Printed at high quality
  • Used as part of an atlas or cartographic publication

The QGIS Print Layout provides a complete environment for creating professional cartographic products, allowing you to combine maps, legends, scale bars, north arrows, titles, and additional information into a polished and publication-ready document.