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Use page-break-before: always on the block that must start a new PDF page, or page-break-after: always on the block that must end the current page. Add page-break-inside: avoid only to short blocks you want kept together. These are the legacy paged-media properties wkhtmltopdf understands. Validate the result with the exact wkhtmltopdf build, Qt patch set, options and HTML used in production because its pagination engine can still split content.
The three page-break properties that wkhtmltopdf uses
CSS 2.2 defines three relevant controls for this job. WebKit lists the properties as supported, but support in a particular wkhtmltopdf package depends on its embedded WebKit and patched-Qt build. The safest approach is to keep the break target in normal block flow and test the generated PDF.
| Property | Apply it to | Result | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
page-break-before: always |
The heading or block that should begin on a fresh page | Forces a page boundary immediately before that block | The block may still be split later if its contents exceed the printable page |
page-break-after: always |
The section or block that should finish the current page | Forces a boundary immediately after that block | A following block can still create additional natural breaks |
page-break-inside: avoid |
A compact callout, table, card or other block | Asks the renderer not to split the block | wkhtmltopdf documents this as only a partial remedy; it cannot keep a block taller than the printable page intact |
The CSS definitions are in the W3C CSS 2.2 Paged Media specification. The WebKit CSS feature status page documents WebKit support, but that does not guarantee identical behavior across wkhtmltopdf distributions.
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Put the rule on a block-level element at the boundary. This complete example starts each chapter on a new page and asks wkhtmltopdf to keep a short note together.
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<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Paged report</title>
<style>
@page {
size: A4;
margin: 18mm 16mm;
}
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 11pt;
line-height: 1.45;
color: #222;
}
h1, h2, h3 {
color: #111;
}
.page-start {
page-break-before: always;
}
.page-end {
page-break-after: always;
}
.keep-together {
page-break-inside: avoid;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Annual report</h1>
<p>This introduction remains on the first page where space permits.</p>
<h2 class="page-start">Chapter 1</h2>
<p>Chapter 1 starts on a fresh page.</p>
<div class="keep-together">
<h3>Important note</h3>
<p>This short note should stay together when enough room remains.</p>
</div>
<section class="page-end">
<h2>Chapter 2 preparation</h2>
<p>The next section starts after an explicit boundary.</p>
</section>
<h2>Chapter 2</h2>
<p>Chapter 2 follows the forced break.</p>
</body>
</html>Use either the “before” or “after” form for a particular boundary, not both. Applying both to adjacent elements can make an unnecessary blank page when the renderer honors each forced break.
Choosing the right boundary
Start a section on a new page
Assign page-break-before: always to the section heading or to a dedicated block immediately before the section:
.report-section {
page-break-before: always;
}
<h2 class="report-section">Financial summary</h2>This expresses the reader-facing intent directly: the heading is the first item after the break. A heading can still be followed by a large block that naturally flows onto later pages.
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Use page-break-after: always when the preceding element represents a complete unit:
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.invoice {
page-break-after: always;
}This is useful for repeated invoices, certificates or appendices where each unit is followed by another unit. Remove the class from the final item if a trailing blank page would be undesirable.
Keep a short block together
page-break-inside: avoid is an instruction to avoid splitting, not an absolute guarantee. Apply it selectively:
.signature-box,
.callout,
.compact-table {
page-break-inside: avoid;
}Do not put it on every ancestor in a complex document. If the element is taller than the printable area, wkhtmltopdf must split it or overflow it. The wkhtmltopdf manual associates this feature with patched Qt and describes its effect as partial.
How wkhtmltopdf actually paginates
The Debian-hosted wkhtmltopdf 0.12.6-2+b1 manual warns that “The current page breaking algorithm of WebKit leaves much to be desired.” It describes laying out content as one long page and cutting that layout into pages. Consequently, lines, images and other content can be cut even when the CSS appears reasonable.
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- A forced break controls a boundary; it does not resize content to fit the remaining space.
- An avoid rule can move a compact block to the next page, but cannot guarantee that an oversized block remains whole.
- The same stylesheet can behave differently when the embedded WebKit, Qt patch set, page size, margins or command-line flags change.
For that reason, treat the PDF—not an HTML browser preview—as the acceptance artifact.
Run wkhtmltopdf with explicit page and media settings
Pin the options used by your application so a local test matches production. For a file named report.html:
wkhtmltopdf
--page-size A4
--margin-top 18mm
--margin-right 16mm
--margin-bottom 18mm
--margin-left 16mm
report.html report.pdfIf your stylesheet contains @media print, compare output with and without --print-media-type:
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wkhtmltopdf --print-media-type report.html report-print.pdf
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Layouts that commonly make a break appear ignored
Floating parents
A project issue reports page-break-before and page-break-after being ignored inside floating parent elements. The report is a diagnostic lead, not a universal rule about all floats. If a break does nothing, temporarily remove float from the target and its ancestors, render again, and then restore the layout one declaration at a time. See wkhtmltopdf issue #2371.
Nested or decorative wrappers
Place the break on the block that participates in normal flow, such as the heading or section wrapper. Moving the class from a deeply nested inline element to that outer block often makes the intended boundary unambiguous. Avoid relying on a break attached to an element whose only purpose is visual positioning.
Oversized tables, images and panels
An avoid rule cannot make a block smaller. Give images explicit dimensions or a sensible max-width, keep table content concise, and split very large panels into logical sections. If a table must remain intact, verify that its full height is less than the printable page after margins and headers are accounted for.
A practical debugging procedure
- Record the renderer. Capture the exact wkhtmltopdf version, whether Qt is patched, operating system package and every command-line option.
- Create a minimal reproduction. Keep one heading, one target block and the smallest stylesheet that still shows the failure.
- Confirm the rule reaches the PDF. Inspect the generated HTML or inline the CSS temporarily so an asset-loading or selector issue is not mistaken for pagination failure.
- Move the target into normal flow. Remove floats and unnecessary wrappers, then rerun the minimal document.
- Compare media modes. Render with and without
--print-media-type, especially if images or print-only CSS change. - Check physical dimensions. Verify page size, margins, zoom and header/footer settings; a block that no longer fits may be moved or split legitimately.
- Compare PDFs visually and by page count. Keep a known-good output beside the new output and inspect the exact boundary, images and tables.
The project’s support guidance asks for version information and a detailed reproducible case. Include the input HTML/CSS and a small output PDF when reporting a defect. The relevant print-media report is issue #5284.
Common symptoms, causes and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix to try |
|---|---|---|
| The next heading stays on the same page | The selector misses the heading, or the target is inside a floating layout | Apply page-break-before: always directly to the heading, then test with floats removed |
| A card still splits | The card is taller than the printable page, or the renderer only partially honors avoid | Shorten or split the card; keep page-break-inside: avoid for compact blocks only |
| An unexpected blank page appears | Adjacent forced breaks or a break after the final section | Use one boundary rule and remove the final item’s page-break-after |
| Images disappear only in print mode | A build-specific interaction with --print-media-type |
Render both modes, verify the deployed version and reproduce with a minimal file before changing CSS |
| Different servers produce different pagination | Different wkhtmltopdf/Qt builds, fonts, options or page geometry | Pin the executable and fonts, log all options, and test on the production image |
Production checklist
- Use one explicit break rule at each intentional section boundary.
- Keep break targets as normal block elements wherever possible.
- Reserve
page-break-inside: avoidfor short blocks and compact tables. - Set page size and margins explicitly instead of relying on package defaults.
- Test both ordinary and print-media rendering when
@media printis present. - Test long text, missing images, slow resources and the final section, not only a short happy-path document.
- Archive the command, wkhtmltopdf version, Qt patch status, input files and representative PDF for regressions.
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import requests
r = requests.get(
"https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)And Node.js:
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const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
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