Set printBackground: true in Playwright’s page.pdf() options to include page background graphics in a PDF. It defaults to false. Playwright uses print CSS by default, so switch to screen media before generating the PDF if you need the page’s screen styles instead. For color fidelity, add -webkit-print-color-adjust: exact to the page’s CSS. Playwright’s Page API documents these controls.
Capture a page as a PDF with background colors
This JavaScript example opens a page, waits for it to load, and saves a PDF with background graphics enabled:
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const { chromium } = require('playwright');
(async () => {
const browser = await chromium.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
await page.pdf({
path: 'page.pdf',
printBackground: true,
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Install Playwright and its browser before running the script; see the official setup guide. Replace the example URL with the page you need. page.pdf() returns a PDF buffer; the path option saves it directly to a file. The capture options and defaults are documented in the Page API.
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PDF generation uses print media by default. That means @media print rules may apply, while screen-only styles may not. If the PDF should resemble the page as it appears on screen, set screen media before calling page.pdf():
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await page.emulateMedia({ media: 'screen' });
await page.pdf({ path: 'page.pdf', printBackground: true });Use print media when the website’s print layout is the intended result. Use screen media when you need its screen styles. Playwright’s emulateMedia() also accepts 'print' or null; the default PDF rendering is already print media.
Preserve the page’s colors
Enabling printBackground requests background graphics, but printing may still adjust colors. To request exact print colors, add this rule to the page stylesheet:
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html {
-webkit-print-color-adjust: exact;
}The two settings address different things: printBackground: true enables background graphics in the PDF, while -webkit-print-color-adjust: exact addresses print color adjustment. If you cannot change the website’s CSS, you can inject a style before capture:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteawait page.addStyleTag({
content: 'html { -webkit-print-color-adjust: exact; }',
});
await page.pdf({ path: 'page.pdf', printBackground: true });Color rendering can depend on the page and browser environment; the API documents the setting but does not guarantee identical output in every deployment.
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Control PDF size, layout, and page range
Playwright offers PDF options for paper format, dimensions, orientation, margins, page ranges, and scale. Choose how the PDF should be sized before changing scale to solve clipping or fit issues.
| Option | Behavior |
|---|---|
format |
Paper format; defaults to Letter and takes priority over explicit width and height. Documented formats include Letter, Legal, Tabloid, Ledger, and ISO A-series sizes. |
width, height |
Set paper dimensions. Unlabeled values are treated as pixels; supported units include px, in, cm, and mm. |
landscape |
Set to true for landscape orientation. |
margin |
Set margins; the documented default is zero. |
pageRanges |
Choose which pages to include in the output. |
scale |
Scale page rendering. The default is 1; the documented range is 0.1 to 2. |
preferCSSPageSize |
Defaults to false. Set to true when CSS @page sizing should take precedence over PDF format, width, or height options. |
For example, to render landscape A4 pages while preserving backgrounds:
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await page.pdf({
path: 'page.pdf',
format: 'A4',
landscape: true,
printBackground: true,
});When the page’s CSS @page size should control the paper size, use preferCSSPageSize: true. With the default setting, content is scaled to fit the paper size chosen by the PDF options. See the Page API for the full option definitions.
Use the Python or Java API
Playwright’s Python API uses snake_case option names. For example:
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await page.pdf(path="page.pdf", print_background=True)Its page-size preference option is prefer_css_page_size. The Java API uses setters, including setPrintBackground(true) and setPreferCSSPageSize(true). Consult the official Python Page API and Java Page API for language-specific signatures. These documentation sections are marked “next” and may change.
Troubleshoot missing backgrounds or unexpected layout
- Backgrounds are missing: Confirm that
printBackground: trueis present in the PDF options. It defaults tofalse. - The PDF layout differs from the browser view: PDF generation uses print media by default. Call
await page.emulateMedia({ media: 'screen' })beforepage.pdf()when screen styles are intended. - Colors look altered: Add
-webkit-print-color-adjust: exactto the page stylesheet or inject it withpage.addStyleTag(). This is separate from enabling background graphics. - The CSS page size is ignored: Set
preferCSSPageSize: trueif the stylesheet’s@pagesize should override the PDF paper options. - Content is clipped or scaled unexpectedly: Check whether
formatis overridingwidthandheight; verify margins and orientation; then adjustscalewithin the documented 0.1–2 range.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo can return a web page as a PDF with one API request. Its clean-shot process accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. It also provides an MCP server for AI agents to capture screenshots and PDFs.
Here is the cURL call, with the PDF output format specified as a request parameter:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -d format=pdf -o page.pdfSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for authentication and PDF options. ScreenshotNeo includes 1,000 screenshots a month free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for the free plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does printBackground preserve background colors exactly?
It enables background graphics, but print color adjustment is a separate behavior. Add -webkit-print-color-adjust: exact when exact print colors are required.
Can Playwright use CSS @page sizing for PDFs?
Yes. Set preferCSSPageSize: true so the CSS page size takes precedence over PDF paper-size options.
Quick Recap
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