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Set the destination filename with the value of --print-to-pdf:
chrome --headless --print-to-pdf="/absolute/path/report.pdf" "https://example.com"Replace chrome with the executable installed on your system, and make sure the destination directory exists and is writable. If you omit the path, Chrome saves output.pdf in the current working directory.
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Set the output path and filename
The value after --print-to-pdf is the PDF output path. The URL is a separate positional argument. For example, this saves the page as page.pdf inside /tmp/reports:
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chrome --headless --print-to-pdf="/tmp/reports/page.pdf" "https://example.com"Use an absolute path when you want the destination to be unambiguous in automation. For a relative path, ordinary filesystem path rules apply, so it is resolved relative to the process’s working directory. Create the parent directory first if it does not exist.
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Choose the executable installed on your system
The command name varies by installation and operating system. Use the available executable—often chrome, google-chrome or chromium—or substitute its full path. The output-path option is the same; only the executable name changes.
Quote paths that contain spaces
Keep the complete path together as one switch value, using the quoting syntax for your shell. For example:
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chrome --headless --print-to-pdf="/tmp/monthly reports/report.pdf" "https://example.com"Shell quoting conventions differ, so adapt the quotes if you use a shell with different rules.
Use Chrome’s default output location
If you do not specify a path, Chrome uses output.pdf in the process’s current working directory:
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chrome --headless --print-to-pdf "https://example.com"This can be convenient for a one-off command. In a script, the working directory may not be the folder you expect, so provide an explicit path when the destination matters. Chrome’s command-line reference documents the default filename and location: Chrome Headless command-line reference. The Chromium command handler also reads the switch value as a path and falls back to output.pdf when no value is provided: Chromium command-handler source.
Keep output location separate from PDF formatting and capture timing
These options solve different problems: --print-to-pdf chooses the destination; other flags affect what appears in the PDF or when Chrome captures the page.
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--no-pdf-header-footersuppresses printed headers and footers. It does not change the output path. Older Chrome versions may use--print-to-pdf-no-header.--timeout=5000sets a maximum capture wait of 5,000 milliseconds. It affects capture timing, not the file location.--virtual-time-budget=42000advances page timers for time-dependent content. It also affects capture timing rather than the destination.
For example, combine the destination and header/footer option like this:
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chrome --headless --print-to-pdf="/tmp/reports/page.pdf" --no-pdf-header-footer "https://example.com"Chrome’s reference describes these options and notes that older versions may use the legacy header/footer flag: Chrome Headless command-line reference.
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Troubleshoot a missing or misplaced PDF
- The file appears in a different folder: Check the path supplied to
--print-to-pdf. If no path was supplied, look foroutput.pdfin the process’s current working directory. - No file is created or writing fails: Check the path spelling, confirm the destination directory exists, and verify that the Chrome process can write there. Chromium’s command handler reports a file-write failure when writing does not succeed.
- A path with spaces is treated as multiple arguments: Quote the whole switch value according to the shell you are using.
- The PDF misses content on a slow or dynamic page: Adjust the maximum wait with
--timeout=<milliseconds>, or use--virtual-time-budget=<milliseconds>for pages that rely on timers. These options change capture timing, not the destination. - Headers or footers appear unexpectedly: Try
--no-pdf-header-footer. If you must support an older Chrome version that uses the former spelling, use--print-to-pdf-no-header.
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