Use Power Apps’ PDF() function when you need a file that the app can email or send to Power Automate. Enable the experimental PDF feature, call PDF() from a behavior formula, and pass the resulting PDF object to an Outlook connector or a flow. If you only need a person to print or save the current screen, the separate Print() function opens the browser print dialog.
Choose the right Power Apps PDF method
| Method | Result | Best use | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
PDF() |
Returns a PDF object inside the canvas app | Email attachments, Power Automate, SharePoint storage, controlled layout | Experimental; runs on the device and supports only the visible screen or supported controls |
Print() |
Opens the browser’s print dialog for the current screen | A user manually printing or choosing “Save as PDF” | Browser-print workflow; no PDF object for app logic |
The PDF function is experimental and disabled by default. Microsoft warns that experimental features are not intended for production use, so test it with your app’s real data and devices before relying on it for a business-critical process.
Enable the experimental PDF function
- Open the canvas app in Power Apps Studio.
- Open Settings.
- Select Upcoming features, then open the Experimental tab.
- Turn on PDF function.
- Save and publish the app after testing. Every environment in which the app is edited or run must support the feature setting.
If PDF is underlined as an unknown function, return to this setting first. Also check that you are editing a canvas app; this function is not a general export command for every Power Apps experience.
Create a PDF from a screen or control
Basic button formula
Insert a button and set its OnSelect property to:
PDF(SubmitInspectionScreen)Replace SubmitInspectionScreen with the name of the screen you want to capture. The function can also target a supported container or gallery. It captures the currently visible content; it does not reach into another screen that is not being displayed.
#1 Best Overall
- [This is a Copilot+ PC] — The fastest, most intelligent Windows PC ever, with built-in AI tools that help you write, summarize, and multitask — all while keeping your data and privacy secure.
- [The Power of a Laptop, the Flexibility of a Tablet] — Surface Pro 12” is a 2-in-1 device that adapts to you. Use it as a tablet for on-the-go tasks, prop it up with the built-in kickstand, or attach the Surface Pro Keyboard (sold separately) to turn it into a full laptop.
- [Incredibly Fast and Intelligent] — Powered by the latest Snapdragon X Plus processor and an AI engine that delivers up to 45 trillion operations per second — for smooth, responsive, and smarter performance.
- [All Day Battery Life] — Up to 16 hours of battery life[1] means you can work, stream, and create wherever the day takes you — without reaching for a charger.
- [Brilliant 12” Touchscreen Display] — The PixelSense display delivers vibrant color and crisp detail in a sleek design — perfect for work, entertainment, or both.
Store the PDF in a variable
To use the file later in the app, assign it to a variable:
Set(myPDF, PDF(SubmitInspectionScreen))You can set a PDF viewer’s Document property to myPDF to preview the result. A PDF viewer control can appear as a black shape in generated output. When that happens, target the content container or gallery rather than the entire screen.
Capture a supported container
Targeting a container helps you exclude navigation, buttons, or a preview control:
Set(myPDF, PDF(InspectionContentContainer))Supported targets documented for the function include a screen, vertical gallery, vertical layout container, horizontal layout container, and container. Nested galleries and several specialized controls have limitations described below.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Control paper size, resolution, margins and orientation
The syntax is:
PDF(ScreenOrControl [, {Size, DPI, Margin, Orientation, ExpandContainers}])For example:
Set(myPDF, PDF(ReportScreen, {Size: "A4", DPI: 144, Margin: "0.25", Orientation: "Landscape", ExpandContainers: true}))Use the option names supported by your studio version and test the output rather than assuming a setting is available in every tenant. The documented defaults are:
Rank #2
- Laptop Size: This renewed Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ Tablet, has a screen size of 12.3 " and touch display. The 2736 X 1824 Pixel anti-glare screen, mostly reduces fatigue when using it, allowing you to focus on work. With a light weight, this Microsoft Surface refurbished laptop is a great choice for your Business and entertainment.
- Processor: This Renewed Surface Pro 7 Plus Tablet is installed with Intel Core i5-1135 G7 (2.4GHz-4.2GHz, 4Cores, 8Threads, 8 MB Intel Smart Cache), meeting the fast and stable operation of most programs.
- Powerful Memory: This refurbished Tablet has installed 8GB of RAM running memory and 256GB of Solid State Drive for you, allowing you to run multiple software and browsers at the same time with confidence, the Microsoft Surface powerful hard drive gives you enough space to download files!
- Multiple Ports:USB 3.0, microSD card reader(Optional), Headphone jact, Mini DisplayPort, Cover port, Charging port, this Microsoft SurfaceTablet allows you to fully enjoy the pleasure brought by technology.
- System: Windows 11 Pro is recognized as the most stable operating system, which is mostly for both commercial and professional users. Windows 11 Pro provides more security and management features for this used Surface Pro 7 (+) Tablet, as well as supporting virtualization and remote access. Meanwhile, it supports multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, etc.
- Size: Letter or A4, depending on the user’s locale.
- DPI: 96.
- Margin: 0.5 inch on each side.
- Orientation: Portrait.
- ExpandContainers:
false.
ExpandContainers controls whether supported overflowing containers are expanded for the export. Expansion can make a long report fit into the generated document, but it can also create a much larger PDF. Keep the content deliberately sized and verify page breaks.
Email the PDF as an attachment
Microsoft’s documented pattern passes the PDF object directly as ContentBytes to an attachment in the Office 365 Outlook connector. A typical button formula is:
Office365Outlook.SendEmailV2(
User().Email,
"Inspection report",
"Attached is the completed inspection report.",
{
Attachments: Table(
{
Name: "inspection-report.pdf",
ContentBytes: PDF(SubmitInspectionScreen)
}
)
}
)Use your app’s actual recipient, subject, message, and screen name. Keep the attachment name ending in .pdf. If your connector version displays slightly different argument help, insert the Outlook action through the formula bar and follow its current parameter names.
Save the PDF with Power Automate and SharePoint
Build the flow
- Create an instant cloud flow with the Power Apps (V2) trigger.
- Add an input for the file content and another for the filename. When prompted, choose Ask in Power Apps for each value.
- Add SharePoint’s Create file action.
- Select the site and document library, map the filename input to File Name, and map the file-content input to File Content.
- Save the flow and note its name in Power Apps.
Call the flow from the app
After adding the flow to the app, call it from a button. The exact generated flow name depends on your app, but the pattern is:
SaveInspection.Run(
"inspection-" & Text(Now(), "yyyymmdd-hhnnss") & ".pdf",
PDF(SubmitInspectionScreen)
)Match the argument order to the inputs shown for your flow. Use a fixed filename while testing, then add an identifier, date, or record number. Add a success notification after the flow returns and a failure branch that tells the user to retry or contact an administrator.
Rank #3
- A PREMIUM PERFORMANCE 2-IN-1 LAPTOP & TABLET — Ready for work, school, and creativity. Built for busy days, big projects, and nonstop multitasking. Run video calls, school and work apps, 20+ browser tabs, and AI tools at the same time without slowing down.
- WITH AI BUILT IN — With a dedicated AI chip (Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus), this Copilot+ PC[5] on Windows 11 helps you work smarter and faster. Prompt, create, and automate with ease — ready for even your most demanding tasks.
- A STUNNING 13" OLED TOUCHSCREEN — Sharp colors, real detail, and smooth 120Hz scrolling on the PixelSense touchscreen[1] with LCD display[2]. Tap, scroll, draw, or pinch to zoom — whichever feels right for streaming, sketching, or daily work.
- 15.5 HOURS OF BATTERY (LEAVE THE CHARGER) — Up to 15.5 hours of video playback[3] on a single charge. Work from a coffee shop, take it to class/work, or binge a season on a long flight — it'll keep up.
- THE PORTS YOU NEED — Two USB-C / USB4[4] ports for fast charging, big file transfers, or hooking up to three 4K monitors when you want a full desktop. Wi-Fi 7 keeps you online and fast wherever you are.
What the PDF function can and cannot capture
Visible content only
The target must be the visible screen or a supported control on that screen. Content on a different screen is not automatically included. Build a dedicated report screen when you need a predictable document instead of exporting an operational screen full of navigation controls.
Unsupported or unreliable content
- Charts and Power BI tiles may not render as expected.
- Maps are limited.
- Some third-party PCF configurations are unsupported.
- Nested galleries are not supported in the documented scenarios.
- Fillable PDFs cannot be produced by this function.
- Some fonts do not correctly render non-Latin scripts, bold, or italic styles.
Replace a problematic control with plain labels, galleries, or images on a print-specific screen. For multilingual reports, test every required script and font weight.
Device, data and reliability considerations
PDF generation happens on the device running the app. Capacity therefore varies by phone, tablet, browser, and desktop. Very large PDFs can crash the app, especially on mobile devices. Reduce the number and pixel dimensions of images, limit the amount of data on one screen, and avoid exporting an unbounded gallery.
- Show a loading indicator while the PDF is being built.
- Disable the export button during generation to prevent duplicate emails or flow runs.
- Test the largest realistic record set, not just a small sample.
- Check the result on the devices and browsers your users actually use.
- Keep a separate, compact report screen for dependable pagination.
Use Print() when manual browser printing is enough
Set a button’s OnSelect property to:
Print()This opens the default browser’s print dialog. The user can select a printer or choose the browser’s “Save as PDF” option. Only the screen containing the button with the Print() formula is printed. Unlike PDF(), this route does not return a PDF object, so it cannot directly become an Outlook attachment or Power Automate file input.
Or skip the browser setup
If your real requirement is a clean screenshot or PDF of a public web page rather than a canvas-app report, ScreenshotNeo provides a one-request API and an MCP server for AI agents. It is separate from Power Apps’ experimental export and does not capture private in-app controls.
Rank #4
- Intel Core i5-1035G4 3.70GHz processor, 128GB SSD Drive
- 8GB RAM, Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- Ports: Full-size USB 3.0; microSD card reader; Headphone jack; Mini DisplayPort; Cover port; Charging port, Camera: 5MP front-facing and 8MP rear-facing cameras with 1080p HD video recording
- Display: 12.3-inch PixelSense touchscreen display; 2736 x 1824 resolution, Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio-enhanced sound
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home, Intel Iris Plus Graphics
Cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status in headers. Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients can use its take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools.
Recommended Free Tools
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)
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}`);See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for parameters and PDF options. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to try it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common failures
“PDF” is not recognized
The experimental feature is off, the app was not refreshed after enabling it, or the formula is being used outside a canvas app. Turn on Settings → Upcoming features → Experimental → PDF function, reopen the editor, and test again.
The output is blank or missing controls
Confirm that the target is the visible screen or a supported control. Move report content into a dedicated container and avoid relying on unsupported charts, maps, nested galleries, or third-party PCF components.
The PDF is cut off
Check the target’s dimensions, margins, orientation, and container overflow. Try a landscape layout or ExpandContainers: true for supported containers, then retest with a realistic data set.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The app crashes during export
The document may be too large for the device. Reduce image sizes and gallery rows, split the report, and test on a desktop before enabling mobile use.
Best Value
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ 12.3" Tablet 2-in-1 Laptop, Amazon Renewed, Core i3 with 128GB SSD and 8GB RAM
- More ways to connect, with both USB-C and USB-A ports for connecting to displays, docking stations and more, as well as accessory charging, Platinum Silver Color
- Standout design that won’t weigh you down — ultra-slim and light Surface Pro 7+ starts at just 1.70 pounds. Aspect ratio: 3:2
- Intel Core i3-1114G5 (1.70-3.0Ghz) | 128GB SSD | 8GB RAM | Windows 11 Professional Installed
- Screen: 12.3” PixelSense Display | Resolution: 2736 x 1824 (267 PPI) | Faster than Surface Pro 6, with a 10th Gen Intel Core Processor – redefining what’s possible in a thin and light computer. Wireless : Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible. Bluetooth Wireless 5.0 technology
Email or SharePoint receives an invalid file
Pass the PDF object as the attachment’s ContentBytes or the flow’s file-content input, keep the filename extension as .pdf, and verify that the flow input order matches the formula call.
FAQ
Can Power Apps create a fillable PDF?
No. The documented PDF function generates a PDF representation of app content; fillable PDFs are listed as unsupported.
Does PDF() print every screen in an app?
No. It targets the current visible screen or a supported control. Design a single report screen when several data sections must appear together.
Do I need Power Automate to create the PDF?
No. Power Apps can generate and hold the PDF object itself. Power Automate is needed only when you want a flow to store or process the file, such as creating a SharePoint document.
Is Print() available when PDF() is disabled?
Print() is a separate browser-print function. It can still be appropriate when a user only needs to save the current screen manually, subject to the app and browser’s print behavior.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
