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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Use wkhtmltopdf 'https://example.com/page' 'page.pdf' to convert a webpage URL into a PDF. The command-line tool renders HTML with Qt WebKit; after conversion, open the file and check that the text, images, links, layout, and page breaks are usable. Results depend on the page and the wkhtmltopdf build installed on your system.
What you need before converting a page
wkhtmltopdf is a headless, open-source command-line tool for rendering HTML into PDF. Its documented syntax is wkhtmltopdf [GLOBAL OPTION]... [OBJECT]... <output file>. You can install a suitable precompiled binary for your operating system or build the project from source. The available project materials do not establish a current recommended release or support status, so consult the documentation for your installation rather than assuming all packaged builds behave alike.
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After installing it, check the version and available help in a terminal:
wkhtmltopdf --versionidentifies the installed build.wkhtmltopdf -Hdisplays command-line help. The project documentation describes its generated manual as equivalent to this help output.
Use the manual associated with your installed build for exact option availability and defaults.
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- PORTABLE SCANNER FOR USE ON-THE-GO — The fastest and lightest mobile single-sheet-fed compact document scanner in its class¹
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- VERSATILE PAPER HANDLING ― Portable scanner scans documents up to 8.5 x 72 in; Also easily digitizes receipts and ID cards to make accounting, bookkeeping, and organizing simpler
- INTUITIVE, HIGH-SPEED SOFTWARE — Epson ScanSmart Software³ is a smart tool allowing you to easily scan, review, and save; Stay organized easily with the help of this Epson scanner
- EASY SETUP — USB-powered connect to your computer for quick and simple scanning; No batteries or external power supply required to operate portable document scanner; Standard Connectivity: USB 2.0
Convert one webpage to PDF
- Open a terminal.
- Run
wkhtmltopdf 'https://example.com/page' 'page.pdf', replacing the URL with the page you want to archive and the output path with your preferred filename and location. - Wait for the command to finish, then open the PDF. Check the content and page breaks before treating it as a useful archive.
The project’s basic example uses the same pattern: a page URL followed by an output filename. Quote URLs and paths so the shell handles characters such as ampersands and spaces as part of the argument rather than as command syntax.
Choose page size, orientation, and margins
The documented manual uses A4 and portrait as defaults. Set explicit layout options when the PDF must fit a particular paper format or when a wide page is easier to read in landscape.
--page-size A4,--page-size Letter, or another listed size sets the paper format. The manual also lists A3 and Legal and supports custom width and height.--orientation Landscapeselects landscape orientation.--margin-top,--margin-bottom,--margin-left, and--margin-rightset margins; provide values in the format accepted by your build’s help.
For example, to request Letter paper in landscape with room for a footer, consult your installed manual for margin units and use the corresponding options. Don’t assume a page designed for a tall screen will paginate cleanly just because the paper size is correct.
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- FAST SPEEDS - Scans color and black and white documents a blazing speed up to 16ppm (1). Color scanning won’t slow you down as the color scan speed is the same as the black and white scan speed.
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- OPTIMIZE IMAGES AND TEXT – Automatic color detection/adjustment, image rotation (PC only), bleed through prevention/background removal, text enhancement, color drop to enhance scans. Software suite includes document management and OCR software. (4)
Control print styling and backgrounds
--print-media-type asks wkhtmltopdf to use print CSS instead of the documented default, screen media. This can change colors, visibility, and layout if the site defines separate print styles; it does not guarantee that those styles will produce a complete or attractive PDF.
The documented manual enables background printing by default. Use --no-background when you want to omit backgrounds. Print-media selection and background printing are separate choices, so check the output for both page styling and background assets.
Add page headers and footers
The manual supports text or HTML headers and footers. For example, a right-aligned page count can be added with --footer-right 'Page [page] of [topage]'. Documented variables include [page], [topage], [webpage], [title], and [isodate].
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- CONVENIENT AND PORTABLE –lightweight and small in size, you can take the scanner anywhere from home offices, classrooms, remote offices, and anywhere in between
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- FAST AND EFFICIENT – No technical hurdles or complicated setups here; easily scan both sides of a document at the same time, in color or black-and-white, at up to 12 pages-per-minute, and with a 20 sheet automatic feeder
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Leave enough top or bottom margin for the header or footer; otherwise it can collide with page content. Confirm the placement in the generated PDF, especially when combining headers with custom margins.
Handle JavaScript and delayed content
The CLI manual documents controls to enable or disable JavaScript, set a JavaScript delay, wait until a specified window status, and run a script after page load. A delay or load hook may help when content appears after the initial page load, but these controls do not guarantee compatibility with every dynamic site.
If expected content is missing, inspect the page in a browser and compare what is visible there with the PDF. Try a suitable delay or documented wait condition, then regenerate and check again. If the result remains incomplete, a browser’s built-in print-to-PDF option is a reasonable alternative to try for pages that rely on browser behavior wkhtmltopdf does not reproduce.
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- IRIScan Express mobile scanner is powered via an included micro USB 2. 0 cable allowing you to use it even where there is no outlet available. Plug it into you PC or laptop and you are ready to scan. USB cable provided. AC Adapter not provided and not needed.
- IRIScan flatbed scanner uses a simplex scanning mode allows for quick and straightforward scanning of single-sided documents. IRIScan with its full portable features is the ideal document scanners for computers.
- IRIScan document scanner : Versatile scanning capabilities, including scanning to Word, PDF, and Excel formats with companion software provided Readiris OCR
- Receipt scanner and card scanner with Additional features include scanning business cards directly to Outlook, photo scanning, and receipt scanning for efficient document management
Authentication, headers, proxies, and local files
The manual includes controls for HTTP authentication, custom headers, and proxy settings. These are configuration options, not a guarantee that a protected page will load. Use them only for pages and accounts you are authorized to access, and avoid placing credentials where they may be exposed in shell history or logs.
For local HTML conversions, wkhtmltopdf has local-file access controls, including an option to disable access with an allow-list mechanism and an option to enable it. Keep permissions as narrow as the task allows; do not grant broad local-file access just because a page happens to reference local resources.
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Capture multiple documents, a cover, or a table of contents
The documented command structure accepts multiple objects. A sequence can include pages, a cover, and a generated table of contents before the output filename. A cover omits headers and footers and is excluded from the table of contents; the TOC is generated using XSLT. These features are useful for compiling documents, but they are not needed for a single-page PDF. Check the manual for your build’s exact object syntax.
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- Scanner type: Document
- Connectivity technology: USB
- With Auto Scan Mode, the scanner automatically detects what you're scanning
- Digitize documents and images
Check the PDF and troubleshoot common problems
Conversion success alone does not establish that the file is a faithful archive. Open the PDF and check text, images, layout, links, and page breaks against the page you intended to capture.
- The command is not found: wkhtmltopdf may not be installed or may not be on your shell’s executable path. Install a build appropriate for your operating system or correct the path, then run
wkhtmltopdf --version. - The PDF is blank or missing content: the page may depend on JavaScript, delayed loading, authentication, or resources that failed to load. Check access in a browser, review the build’s JavaScript and wait controls, and inspect the resulting PDF. A browser’s print-to-PDF path is another option to try.
- Images or styles are absent: the page may rely on remote resources that did not load, or local resources affected by file-access settings. Check the conversion output and the relevant network, proxy, header, or local-file configuration without widening permissions unnecessarily.
- Text or layout is cut off: try a different paper size or orientation, adjust margins, and inspect whether print CSS changes the page. Recheck the PDF after each meaningful change.
- Headers overlap the page: reserve more margin space for the header or footer and regenerate the file.
- A protected page fails: verify that you are authorized and that the required authentication or headers are configured for the installed build. The existence of authentication controls does not ensure that the site will permit conversion.
Or skip the browser setup
For an API-based capture, ScreenshotNeo takes a URL in one GET request and returns a screenshot or PDF. Its cleanup options accept cookie or consent banners and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers report the page verdict and whether the request was billed. It also provides an MCP server with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents and other MCP clients.
Example cURL request:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com/page -o page.pdfSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options and response details. The service also supports PDF settings such as paper size, margins, landscape, and page ranges. Its free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
The Tool Desk
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Can wkhtmltopdf turn a local HTML file into a PDF?
Yes. The manual includes local-file access controls for conversions involving local HTML and resources; use the narrowest permissions that meet your needs.
Does wkhtmltopdf guarantee that a modern JavaScript-heavy site will render completely?
No. Its documented JavaScript and wait controls may help with delayed content, but compatibility depends on the page and installed build.
How can I check which wkhtmltopdf options my installation supports?
Run wkhtmltopdf -H and consult the manual associated with that build.
Quick Recap
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