<p>MicroPADs or microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) have been drawing huge interest due to their accessibility and possible point-of-care applications. The imperfect nature of most paper patterning processes is a key drawback of µPAD fabrication. The present study describes a simple technique for fabricating high-quality laser-printed µPADs tested with various quantum dots (QDs) for fluorescent sensing applications. Two different sizes of CdS/ZnS core–shell QDs were synthesized through the aqueous chemical route where 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) was used as a capping agent. Different characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, zeta potential, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, were used to characterize the QDs. Both the QDs were tested in the developed device at different concentrations of QDs at a range of 0.01–0.1&#xa0;mg/mL to validate the device. The device showed excellent linear calibration curves exhibiting high <i>R</i>² values of 0.9709 and 0.9883 for both the blue and green QDs, respectively. These preliminary results confirm that it could be used for various sensing applications based on healthcare such as early detection of disease, point-of-care testing (POCT), and personalized medicine. Additionally, it can potentially be applied across a range of disciplines, such as food safety, environmental monitoring, and forensic science.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>