Convert a webpage with wkhtmltopdf https://example.com/page output.pdf. To preserve its styling, make sure the page’s CSS and other assets can load, then choose screen or print media and allow enough time for JavaScript-driven content to appear. wkhtmltopdf offers controls for these cases, but they do not guarantee that every site will render exactly as it does in a modern browser.
Convert a URL to PDF
wkhtmltopdf accepts a URL or filename as page input and converts HTML pages to PDF using its “wkhtmltopdf patched qt” renderer. For a single remote page, run:
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wkhtmltopdf https://example.com/page output.pdfReplace the example URL with the page you want and output.pdf with the destination filename. The wkhtmltopdf usage manual documents the command and its options.
Make CSS and assets available to the renderer
A page can only be styled with CSS and images that the renderer can load. If styles or assets are missing, check their URLs and access requirements first. The manual also offers --user-style-sheet <path> to apply an additional stylesheet; it does not replace a site’s own CSS or ensure modern browser-level fidelity.
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For local HTML and assets
When converting a local HTML file that references other local files, access controls may prevent those assets from loading. The manual documents --disable-local-file-access, which blocks access to other local files unless permitted, and --allow <path>, which permits a specified path. If local assets are needed, allow only the directory that contains them rather than opening broad access without considering what the input could read.
Check images and backgrounds
The --images and --background options are enabled by default. If images or background styling are absent, check whether the referenced files are reachable and whether those options have been disabled in your command or configuration.
Choose media, viewport, and rendering time
Which settings help depends on how the page is built. The documented defaults and controls are starting points, not a universal recipe; change one setting at a time and inspect the resulting PDF.
| What to check | Documented behavior and possible adjustment |
|---|---|
| Screen or print styling | Screen media is the default. Use --print-media-type to select print media when that matches the intended output. |
| JavaScript-rendered content | JavaScript is enabled by default, with a default delay of 200 ms. For content that appears asynchronously, try a longer --javascript-delay or wait for a page status with --window-status. |
| Viewport and overflow | --viewport-size can set a viewport size for pages with custom scrollbars or CSS overflow behavior. Smart shrinking is enabled by default. |
| Resource and page load errors | Media load errors are ignored by default, while page-load errors abort by default. Choose error handling deliberately when diagnosing a missing resource or failed load. |
The settings are documented in the usage manual and the library settings reference. Neither source promises exact rendering parity with current browsers.
Check your installed build
Run wkhtmltopdf -H to see the help output for the binary installed on your system. The project says its documentation is autogenerated from this help output, and builds can differ; use the local output when an option behaves differently than expected. See the project documentation page.
Troubleshoot missing styling or content
- CSS is absent: confirm stylesheet URLs are reachable from the machine running wkhtmltopdf. For local HTML, check access controls and use a narrowly scoped
--allow <path>if local stylesheets or assets must be read. - Images or backgrounds are missing: confirm the referenced resources load, and check that
--imagesor--backgroundhas not been turned off. - Content appears incomplete: if it depends on JavaScript, try increasing
--javascript-delayor waiting for a relevant--window-status. - Layout differs from the webpage: check whether the page is designed for screen or print media. If overflow or custom scrollbars are involved, test a suitable
--viewport-size. - A load failure stops conversion: distinguish a page-load error from a media-resource error; the defaults treat them differently. Consult the installed binary’s help output before changing error handling.
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If you need a screenshot rather than a PDF, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. One GET request can return an image or PDF; for example, this cURL call saves a WebP screenshot:
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