Use a headless Chromium page and Puppeteer’s page.pdf() method. Put your HTML in a page, wait for its fonts and other assets, choose print or screen CSS, then save the returned PDF bytes. Puppeteer uses the print CSS media type by default, so the result follows print rules unless you explicitly emulate screen media.
What you need before converting HTML to PDF
- Node.js and a project in which you can install Puppeteer.
- The HTML string or a URL that the browser can load.
- Any images, stylesheets and web fonts referenced by the HTML. A browser must be able to reach remote assets, or you should embed them.
- A writable destination for the PDF, unless you plan to process the returned bytes in memory.
Install Puppeteer in a new project with:
npm install puppeteerPuppeteer launches Chromium, so your deployment also needs permission to start a browser process and enough temporary storage for the browser and generated files. Treat those as deployment requirements rather than PDF settings.
Convert an HTML string directly
The following complete script loads an HTML string, waits for the document’s fonts, and writes an A4 PDF. page.setContent() is useful when the source is text rather than a public URL.
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
const html = `<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Invoice</title>
<style>
@page { size: A4; margin: 18mm; }
body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222; }
h1 { color: #1457a6; }
.total { margin-top: 24px; font-weight: 700; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Invoice 1042</h1>
<p>Generated from an HTML string.</p>
<p class="total">Total: $125.00</p>
</body>
</html>`;
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setContent(html, { waitUntil: 'networkidle0' });
await page.evaluate(() => document.fonts.ready);
await page.pdf({
path: 'output.pdf',
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true,
margin: { top: '18mm', right: '18mm', bottom: '18mm', left: '18mm' },
preferCSSPageSize: true
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Run it with node convert.js. The path option saves the file. The PDF method also returns the PDF bytes, so an application can send them in an HTTP response or store them in object storage instead of writing a local file.
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Convert an existing web page
For a URL, use page.goto() before calling page.pdf(). This follows Puppeteer’s documented workflow:
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle0' });
await page.pdf({ path: 'output.pdf' });
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();The guide says PDF generation waits for fonts by default. Waiting for network activity before the call is still useful when your page loads images, stylesheets or application data asynchronously.
Choose print CSS or screen CSS
page.pdf() generates a PDF with the print CSS media type by default (Puppeteer API reference). That means rules inside @media print apply, while screen-only layout rules may not. To reproduce the screen design instead, emulate screen media before creating the PDF:
await page.emulateMediaType('screen');
await page.pdf({ path: 'screen-styled.pdf', printBackground: true });If you do not call emulateMediaType('screen'), leave the page in its default print mode and define the intended print layout in your CSS. Print rendering can modify colors. When exact color output matters, the API documentation points to -webkit-print-color-adjust; for example:
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* { -webkit-print-color-adjust: exact; print-color-adjust: exact; }
}Color management still depends on the browser and viewing or printing software, so inspect a generated sample rather than assuming a screen pixel will be identical on paper.
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PDF options that control layout and output
The current PDFOptions reference is version-sensitive. Check it against the Puppeteer version installed in your project. These are the settings most often needed for HTML documents:
| Option | What it controls | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
format |
Named paper size such as A4 or Letter | When supplied, it takes priority over width and height. |
width, height |
Custom page dimensions | Use these when a named format does not match your document. |
preferCSSPageSize |
Whether CSS @page sizing wins |
When true, an @page size takes precedence over API format or dimensions. |
landscape |
Page orientation | Set true for wide tables, diagrams or presentations. |
margin |
Top, right, bottom and left whitespace | Use CSS units such as mm, in or px. |
printBackground |
Background colors and images | Defaults to false; set true when backgrounds are part of the design. |
displayHeaderFooter, headerTemplate, footerTemplate |
Printed headers and footers | Templates are optional; enable the display flag when using them. |
pageRanges |
Pages to include | Useful for exporting selected pages instead of the complete document. |
Do not set conflicting sizing rules without a reason. For example, choose either an API paper format or CSS-driven page sizing and verify which one your installed version gives priority to. Keep a test document containing long text, a table and a page break so layout changes are visible after upgrades.
Make the HTML PDF-friendly
Define a page model
Use @page for paper size and margins when the document owns its print design. Add explicit break rules around sections that must start on a new page. Avoid relying on a viewport width alone; PDF pagination is controlled by paper dimensions and margins.
Load fonts and images deliberately
Remote assets can be unavailable from a server, require authentication, or finish after the initial navigation. Prefer absolute URLs, embed critical images as data URLs, or wait for an application-specific selector before calling page.pdf(). The documented PDF method waits for fonts, but your own asynchronous data and images may need separate readiness checks.
Use print-only and screen-only rules
Hide navigation, cookie controls and interactive buttons in @media print. If the PDF must match a dashboard’s screen appearance, call emulateMediaType('screen') and enable printBackground. If it is intended for physical printing, stay with print media and design for the chosen paper size.
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Return bytes from a service
Instead of supplying path, capture the return value:
const pdfBytes = await page.pdf({ format: 'A4', printBackground: true });
// Send pdfBytes with Content-Type: application/pdf in your HTTP handler.The API describes the return value as PDF data. Keep the browser open only as long as needed, and always close it in a finally block so failed jobs do not leave orphaned processes.
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- PDF has no colors or background images:
printBackgrounddefaults to false. Set it to true and check your print color CSS. - Screen layout is different: PDF uses print media by default. Add
await page.emulateMediaType('screen')beforepage.pdf(), or create explicit print rules. - Fonts fall back to a system font: confirm the font URL is reachable from the conversion host and wait for
document.fonts.ready. The guide states that PDF generation itself waits for fonts, but inaccessible font files cannot be used. - Images or charts are missing: wait for the page’s data-fetching code and image elements, use absolute or embedded resources, and only then generate the PDF.
- Content is clipped at an edge: review paper dimensions, margins, wide fixed-width elements and long unbreakable strings. Try landscape orientation for wide tables.
- Your CSS page size is ignored: set
preferCSSPageSize: trueand avoid simultaneously expectingformatto win. - Only part of the document is needed: use the documented
pageRangesoption rather than deleting content from the HTML. - The process hangs: inspect navigation and application requests. A page waiting forever for a request will also delay a network-idle readiness strategy; add an explicit timeout policy and a deterministic ready selector in your own application.
- The browser cannot start in production: verify that the runtime permits launching Chromium and that its required executable and temporary directories are available. This is an environment issue, not a PDF option.
Reliability, performance and operating cost
There is no single conversion time or memory figure that applies to every HTML page. Rendering cost depends on page size, JavaScript, images, fonts and the browser environment. Reuse a controlled browser process for a queue of jobs when your service architecture permits it, but create an isolated page per job and close pages after completion. Limit navigation and asset waits so a failed site cannot occupy a worker indefinitely.
For repeatable output, pin your Puppeteer version, keep a representative HTML fixture, and compare PDFs after upgrades. Test both print and screen media if your product supports both. The Puppeteer options reference and defaults can change between versions, so consult the reference that matches the installed package.
The sources do not establish a universal hosted-service price or a benchmark against other renderers. Your cost calculation should include the browser runtime, compute time, storage and any external assets your deployment uses.
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Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. A GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF from a URL, so it is useful when the HTML already lives at a reachable address and you do not want to maintain Chromium infrastructure. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the current output and capture parameters.
cURL:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython:
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)Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const fs = require('node:fs/promises');
await fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status in X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server exposes take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools to Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients.
The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots; yearly billing gives two months free. Every feature is included on every plan. For PDF capture, point the request at a public page and select PDF output using the documented API option rather than assuming the example’s .webp filename.
Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to try 1,000 screenshots a month without entering a card.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert HTML that contains private data?
Yes, with a self-hosted Puppeteer process you control the browser and the source, but you still need to review how remote images, fonts and scripts are fetched. Do not load untrusted HTML in a privileged environment without applying your own isolation and network policy.
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Why does a PDF look different from a browser screenshot?
A PDF is paginated and generated with print CSS by default, while a screenshot represents a viewport. Differences in media queries, paper size, margins, page breaks and color adjustment are expected unless you deliberately align those settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert HTML that contains private data?
Yes. A self-hosted Puppeteer process keeps rendering under your control, but review remote asset requests and isolate untrusted HTML according to your security policy.
Why does a PDF look different from a browser screenshot?
PDF generation is paginated and uses print CSS by default; screenshots represent a viewport. Media queries, paper size, margins, page breaks and color adjustment can therefore change the result.
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