Buzz
If you want to save a webpage for offline viewing or need a copy to share with others or print, converting the website into a PDF file can make everything easier. Chrome and Safari come with built-in PDF creation tools, but if you're using Firefox or Internet Explorer, you'll need additional software. Additionally, Adobe Acrobat provides comprehensive web page capture options (if you have access).
Steps
On Chrome
Open the webpage you want to convert to a PDF. When creating a PDF from a webpage, some elements may automatically change. These changes depend on the website's developer and are typically outside of your control.
- This method will only print the current page you're viewing and will not preserve links to other pages on the website. If you want to save the entire page as a PDF or ensure that all elements on the page are preserved in their exact positions, refer to Method 4.
Click the Chrome Menu button and select 'Print'.
Click the button .Change... (Change) and select 'Save as PDF'. This option is under 'Local Destinations'.
Select an option. There are several options to consider before creating your PDF file.
- Click the 'Layout' dropdown to choose between Portrait or Landscape orientation.
- Uncheck 'Headers and footers' if you don’t want the date, page title, and address to appear at the top and bottom of the PDF.
- Check the 'Background graphics' box to display any background images (if available).
Click the .Save (Save). Choose a name and folder to save your PDF file.
On Safari
Open the page you want to convert to a PDF. You will notice that some elements may change when using this method. This happens because web designers have control over how the browser prints the webpage in a specific way.
- You can only create a PDF of the page you're currently viewing. If you want to create a full-page PDF or include all elements, refer to method 4.
Click on the File menu and select 'Export to PDF'. This option requires OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later. If you're using an older version, click on File → 'Save As' and select PDF as the file type.
Name the file and choose where you want to save it. It may take a few minutes for the file to be created, depending on the size of the page.
With CutePDF (on any Windows browser)
Download CutePDF. Internet Explorer and Firefox do not have built-in tools to create PDF files. Therefore, you need to install a 'virtual printer' to create the PDF instead of printing it directly. CutePDF is such a virtual printer.
- Visit cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/writer.asp and click 'Free Download' and 'Free Converter'. The two necessary programs will be downloaded and installed on your computer.
- This method will only create a PDF from the page you're currently viewing. If you need to save the entire website with all the links to other pages, refer to method 4.
Run the file .CuteWriter.exe to start the installation of CutePDF. The installer comes with several browser toolbars, so you will need to click Cancel in the first prompt, then click the link 'Skip this and all remaining offers'.
Once the CutePDF setup is complete, run the file .converter.exe. There's no need to select any tasks or worry about ads here, as everything runs automatically and without ads.
Open the website that you want to convert into a PDF. Now that CutePDF is installed, you can perform this action on any browser.
Open the Print window. The quickest way is to press Ctrl+P, but you can also find the option in the File menu or Firefox menu.
- In Firefox, click the Print... button in the Print Preview window.
Click the dropdown menu to display the printer options, then select 'CutePDF Writer'. Click the Print button.
Give the PDF file a name and save it. After a short delay, the Save window from CutePDF will appear, allowing you to assign a name and select the destination folder for the file.
With Adobe Acrobat Pro
Select the File menu and choose "Create PDF" → "From Web Page". Although you'll need the paid version of Adobe Acrobat for this, it enables you to save the entire website, including all server pages, in its original format with all clickable links intact.
Enter the URL of the website you wish to convert to a PDF. If you want to save everything, enter the base URL of the site. For a specific page, simply input its direct address.
Choose how much data you want to save. You can select "Get only X level(s)" or "Get entire site".
- Level 1 refers to the page that appears when you access the URL. Level 2 includes all pages linked from the starting page. Level 3 contains all pages linked from level 2 pages. Depending on the website, this could result in multiple files being saved.
Select the checkboxes for the pages you want to keep. When you process multiple levels, links might take you outside the website. To prevent Acrobat from collecting these pages, select "Stay on same path" to ensure only pages with the same domain are saved. Alternatively, choose "Stay on same server" to restrict the collection to pages from this server only.
Click the .Settings... button to customize the PDF file settings. This will allow you to adjust the title, footer, and bookmarks for navigation.
Click the .Create button to generate the PDF file. Depending on the selected website level and the site’s size, this process may take anywhere from a few minutes to quite a long time.
