Short answer: use Highcharts’ exporting module for a chart-only PDF. For browser-side generation, load offline-exporting.js plus the PDF libraries Highcharts requires; otherwise use Highcharts’ public export service or a self-hosted Node/Puppeteer server. html2canvas is a separate DOM renderer, not the documented Highcharts PDF engine. Its documentation covers modern browsers such as Firefox, but does not list Internet Explorer, so do not treat an html2canvas recipe as an IE-compatible solution without testing the exact browser and content.
Choose the export path before writing code
Your decision depends on the Highcharts version, the IE version, whether the PDF may leave the browser, and whether you need only the chart or a larger page region.
| Path | Best for | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Client-side Highcharts export | Chart-only PDF with processing in the browser | offline-exporting.js, svg2pdf.js, jspdf.js, browser support and PDF features |
| Highcharts export service | Fast implementation when sending generated SVG to a public service is acceptable | Network access, data sensitivity and fallback behavior |
| Self-hosted export server | Controlled server-side rendering or unsupported client features | Node.js, Puppeteer operations, security and maintenance |
| html2canvas | A visual capture of surrounding DOM content, not specifically Highcharts PDF conversion | Supported browser, CSS, fonts, images, same-origin policy and iframe restrictions |
Highcharts’ export-module overview documents PDF, PNG, JPG, SVG and printing. It says client-side exporting became the default in version 12.3. That does not make every export feature available in every legacy browser. Highcharts’ system requirements list Internet Explorer 9+ and Firefox 2.0+, but those are library compatibility statements, not a complete export-feature matrix. From Highcharts 11 onward, legacy browsers should load scripts from the es5 directory.
Client-side PDF export with Highcharts
1. Confirm versions and load the appropriate builds
Identify the exact Highcharts release and IE version in your support requirements. For Highcharts 11+, use the legacy ES5 distribution where required. Do not assume a current module build will execute in an old IE document.
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Load Highcharts, the exporting module and offline exporting. PDF generation also needs svg2pdf.js and jspdf.js. Highcharts lists these as third-party optional dependencies and notes that you are responsible for their security, licensing and warranty review. See Highcharts optional dependencies for loading and configuration details.
2. Create the chart and export button
<div id="chart"></div>
<button id="pdf" type="button">Download PDF</button>
<script src="/highcharts/highcharts.js"></script>
<script src="/highcharts/modules/exporting.js"></script>
<script src="/highcharts/modules/offline-exporting.js"></script>
<!-- Load compatible svg2pdf.js and jsPDF builds before exporting -->
<script>
Highcharts.chart('chart', {
title: { text: 'Revenue by quarter' },
xAxis: { categories: ['Q1', 'Q2', 'Q3', 'Q4'] },
series: [{ name: 'Revenue', data: [12, 18, 15, 23] }],
exporting: {
enabled: true,
fallbackToExportServer: true
}
});
document.getElementById('pdf').onclick = function () {
var chart = Highcharts.charts[0];
chart.exportChart({ type: 'application/pdf' });
};
</script>With local dependencies available, Highcharts can generate the PDF in the browser. If local conversion cannot run, fallbackToExportServer permits a server fallback. The API documentation describes this option and warns that, since Highcharts 13, PDF client-side dependencies are not auto-loaded unless exporting.libURL is configured or the scripts are already present. Check the API entry for your deployed version: Highcharts exporting API.
3. Force a specific export configuration
You can pass temporary chart options to exportChart, such as a different filename, dimensions or title. Keep the chart’s normal display configuration separate from export-only changes so the on-screen chart is not unexpectedly altered. If you disable fallback, provide your own visible error path; users otherwise receive no useful explanation when a browser cannot complete local PDF conversion.
What html2canvas can and cannot do
html2canvas reconstructs a representation of page content by traversing the DOM. It does not take a literal screenshot and only renders CSS and elements it understands. Its documentation lists modern evergreen browsers, including Firefox, but not Internet Explorer. The limitations documentation also explains that cross-origin resources can taint a canvas and that cross-origin iframes cannot be rendered because of browser security restrictions.
That makes html2canvas potentially useful when the requirement is “capture the chart plus headings, controls or other same-origin page content.” It is not a substitute for Highcharts’ SVG-to-PDF pipeline. A canvas capture may differ from the chart’s vector export in text quality, fonts, clipping, responsive layout and print pagination.
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Illustrative DOM capture (Firefox and supported modern browsers)
html2canvas(document.getElementById('chart'), {
backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
useCORS: true
}).then(function (canvas) {
var image = canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
// Pass image to a PDF library of your choice.
// This is a raster capture, not Highcharts' native PDF export.
});Do not present this snippet as an IE solution. If IE is mandatory, use Highcharts’ supported export route or a server renderer and test the exact release. If your page uses remote images, web fonts, embedded frames or CSS effects, verify them individually; useCORS cannot override a server that omits appropriate cross-origin headers.
When to use the Highcharts export service
The public service receives the generated SVG from the browser and returns the requested format. Highcharts’ FAQ recommends client-side export or a private server when sending chart data to the public service is a concern: Highcharts FAQ. A service can simplify legacy-browser support because conversion occurs away from IE, but it introduces network, availability and data-transfer dependencies. Confirm that your organization permits the chart data to leave its environment.
When a self-hosted server is the better fallback
Highcharts documents a Node.js export server using Puppeteer for PDF and other formats: setting up your own export server. This is appropriate when client-side conversion lacks a required feature, the public endpoint is unsuitable, or you need operational control. You must maintain Node and browser dependencies, secure the endpoint, control resource access and monitor failures. It is not automatically simpler than local export.
IE and Firefox testing checklist
- Record the exact Highcharts and browser versions, including IE document mode.
- Verify that the correct ES5 Highcharts files are loaded for legacy releases.
- Open the browser console and confirm that exporting, offline exporting, jsPDF and svg2pdf scripts all load without syntax or network errors.
- Export a chart containing long labels, multiple series, data labels, gradients and non-Latin text.
- Check PDF dimensions, clipping, fonts, legends and tooltip-independent content.
- Test slow networks and blocked third-party scripts.
- Test charts with remote images, custom HTML, iframes and authenticated resources.
- Exercise both the local success path and the fallback/error path.
Troubleshooting common failures
“PDF export is blank”
Inspect the generated SVG and browser console. A chart that has not finished rendering, unsupported HTML content, blocked resources or missing PDF libraries can produce an empty result. Wait for the chart’s data and fonts before calling exportChart, then test a minimal chart to isolate the feature.
“The browser downloads SVG but not PDF”
SVG export does not prove that PDF dependencies are present. Load compatible svg2pdf.js and jspdf.js, configure exporting.libURL where your version requires it, and verify the exact versions against Highcharts’ optional-dependency guidance.
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“IE throws a script or syntax error”
Use the ES5 Highcharts distribution where required and ensure every dependency supports that IE version. A modern html2canvas build is not evidence of IE support.
“The chart falls back to the server unexpectedly”
Local conversion failed or its dependencies were not found. Decide whether that is acceptable, then either fix the asset loading/configuration or set fallbackToExportServer: false and show a clear application error. Disabling fallback without an error path makes support harder.
“Images or iframes disappear in html2canvas”
Cross-origin images require appropriate server headers and cross-origin iframes cannot be rendered under browser security rules. Host assets on an allowed origin, proxy them through a controlled same-origin endpoint, or use Highcharts/server export instead.
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Client-side conversion avoids an upload but consumes the user’s CPU and memory; large charts and high-resolution output increase both. A public service shifts conversion away from the browser but sends SVG over the network. A self-hosted server adds infrastructure and patching responsibility while giving you control over data and rendering. Measure export time and failure rates with the actual charts and supported browsers rather than relying on the general browser table.
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FAQ
Is html2canvas required for Highcharts PDF export?
No. Highcharts documents its own exporting module, offline PDF dependencies, public service and self-hosted server paths.
Does Highcharts guarantee PDF export in every IE version it lists?
No. The compatibility table is not an export-feature test matrix; validate the exact release, IE mode and chart content.
Can html2canvas capture a cross-origin iframe?
No. Its documentation cites browser security restrictions on cross-origin iframes.
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Can I use html2canvas to create a vector PDF?
No. html2canvas produces a DOM-derived raster canvas; Highcharts’ PDF route uses SVG-to-PDF dependencies or server conversion.
Which option keeps chart data in my environment?
Client-side export does not send the generated SVG to a public service. A self-hosted export server is the server-side alternative under your operational control.
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