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Use an anchor whose href points to the PDF and add the download attribute:
<a href="/files/guide.pdf" download="guide.pdf">Download the PDF (guide.pdf)</a>For a PDF on the same origin, this is normally all the HTML you need. The attribute requests download handling and suggests a filename; it does not guarantee that every browser will save the file instead of opening it. Cross-origin files need server-side support with a Content-Disposition: attachment response header.
Use the download attribute for a same-origin PDF
Place the real PDF URL in href. The optional value of download is the filename you would like the browser to suggest locally.
<a href="/files/guide.pdf" download="guide.pdf">Download the PDF (guide.pdf)</a>With this example, the browser requests /files/guide.pdf and treats the link as a download request rather than ordinary page navigation when its download rules allow that behavior. The file must actually be available at that URL; href is not a label or a file-generation command.
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Use a clear, descriptive link label
Tell users what will happen and identify the file when that helps them choose the right document. “Download the PDF (guide.pdf)” is more useful than “Click here.” A visible filename also helps people distinguish several downloads on the same page.
Omit or include a suggested filename
This is valid:
<a href="/files/guide.pdf" download>Download the guide PDF</a>Without a value, the browser can derive a name from the response headers, URL path, or media type. Add a value when you want to suggest a stable local name:
<a href="/files/guide.pdf" download="installation-guide.pdf">Download the installation guide</a>The value is only a suggestion. Browsers and operating systems can adjust names that contain unsupported characters, and a server-provided filename can take precedence.
Check the URL and origin before choosing an implementation
The most important distinction is whether the PDF and the page are served from the same origin. Origin includes the scheme, host, and port, so changing any of those can make a resource cross-origin.
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| PDF location | Recommended approach | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Same origin as the page | Use an anchor with download; add a filename value if useful. |
The attribute can request download behavior. |
| Cross-origin server you control | Return Content-Disposition: attachment, optionally with a filename, and keep download on the link if desired. |
The response header is the controlling server-side instruction. |
| Cross-origin server you do not control | Ask that server to configure the response, or provide the file through a server you control. | HTML alone cannot reliably force an arbitrary remote URL to download. |
blob: or data: URL |
Use an anchor with download and a suggested name. |
These URL types are within the attribute’s supported scope. |
For cross-origin resources, the HTML Standard requires the download request to be paired with a response using the attachment disposition to avoid a warning about potentially unsafe activity. In practice, configure the file response, not just the markup.
Configure the server for cross-origin or site-wide attachment behavior
Send this HTTP response header with the PDF:
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="guide.pdf"The attachment disposition tells the browser that the response is intended as a download. The filename parameter supplies a suggested local name. You can still leave the HTML attribute in place:
<a href="https://downloads.example.com/guide.pdf" download="guide.pdf">Download the guide PDF</a>This arrangement is useful when the file is on another origin you operate, or when every route that serves a particular class of files should download rather than display. Ensure the header is attached to the actual PDF response, including responses produced after redirects or by a CDN; putting it on an unrelated HTML page does not change the file’s handling.
Understand filename precedence
There can be three possible name sources: the download value, the response’s Content-Disposition filename, and a name inferred from the URL or media type. A server-provided filename can override the attribute. The browser or operating system may then sanitize the result to meet local filesystem rules. Treat every name as a suggestion rather than a guarantee.
Do not promise a save dialog in every browser
The attribute expresses author intent; it does not control the user’s browser settings, whether a PDF viewer opens inline, or whether the browser asks where to save. Depending on configuration, a user may see a save prompt, an automatic download, the PDF in an embedded viewer, or an external application.
If an exact experience matters, test the link in the browsers, operating systems, and mobile devices your site supports. Test both a normal click and keyboard activation, and test a fresh response as well as a cached response. Verify that the resulting file opens as a PDF and that the local filename is acceptable.
Common implementation patterns
Relative URL
<a href="/documents/terms.pdf" download="terms.pdf">Download the terms PDF</a>A root-relative URL keeps the link on the current host while working from any page path.
Absolute URL on the same origin
<a href="https://www.example.com/documents/terms.pdf" download="terms.pdf">Download the terms PDF</a>This remains same-origin only when the page itself uses the same scheme, host, and port.
Generated blob: content
If client-side code creates a PDF blob, assign its object URL to href and provide a filename:
<a id="download-pdf" download="report.pdf">Download report.pdf</a>Your script must set the link’s href to the generated blob: URL before the user activates it. Revoke object URLs when they are no longer needed so the page does not retain unnecessary in-memory data.
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Troubleshoot a PDF link that opens instead of downloading
The PDF is on another origin
Symptom: Adding download has no reliable effect, or the browser warns before navigation.
Cause: The attribute is not a general cross-origin download switch.
Fix: Configure the file server to return Content-Disposition: attachment. If you do not control that server, serve an authorized copy from an origin you control or ask the owner to change its response.
The URL is not the PDF resource
Symptom: The link downloads an HTML error page, a login page, or a redirect target.
Cause: href points to a viewer route, expired URL, or missing file rather than the PDF bytes.
Fix: Open the href directly and confirm that the response is the intended PDF. Correct the path, permissions, or signed-link expiration before testing the download attribute again.
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Symptom: The saved file has a server-generated name or a sanitized version of your suggested name.
Cause: A Content-Disposition filename may take precedence, and browsers or operating systems can alter names.
Fix: Set the desired name in the server response when you control it, use filesystem-safe characters, and treat the result as a suggestion in your documentation.
The browser still displays the PDF
Symptom: A PDF viewer opens even though the link includes download.
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Cause: Browser behavior and user settings determine whether a response is saved, prompted, or opened.
Fix: Use the server attachment header where you control the response, then test the supported browser/device combinations. Do not describe the link as a guaranteed save operation.
Keyboard and assistive-technology users cannot tell what happens
Symptom: The link is technically usable but its purpose is unclear when read out of context.
Cause: Labels such as “here” do not identify the file or action.
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Fix: Use explicit text such as “Download the 2026 installation guide (PDF).” Keep the link focusable and avoid replacing the native anchor with a non-semantic control.
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If you need a rendered PDF or image of a webpage rather than a user-facing download link, ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. It accepts one GET request and can return PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF output. Before capture, it accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and the response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.
See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for all options. A minimal cURL request is:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpThe same request in Python:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)And in 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}`);ScreenshotNeo also offers an MCP server with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for 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, and every feature is available on every plan. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.
FAQ
Does download change the PDF itself?
No. It changes the requested handling of the linked resource and suggests a local filename; it does not edit, compress, or convert the PDF.
Can a page force a user’s preferred download folder?
No. The browser and operating system control the destination, prompts, and whether an external PDF application opens the file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does download change the PDF itself?
No. It requests download handling and suggests a filename; it does not edit, compress, or convert the PDF.
Can a page force a user’s preferred download folder?
No. The browser and operating system control the destination, prompts, and whether an external PDF application opens the file.
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