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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Use await page.pdf() for bytes and pass path when you want Puppeteer to write a file. In the documented Puppeteer 25.12.0 API, page.pdf() resolves to a Uint8Array. If another Node.js API specifically requires a Buffer, wrap that result with Buffer.from(). A separate page.createPDFStream() method returns a readable stream for stream-oriented consumers.
Choose the output form your next step needs
There are three distinct ways to obtain the generated PDF. Select one before writing your capture code:
| Need | Puppeteer API | Result | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bytes in memory | await page.pdf(options) |
Uint8Array |
Your code will upload, hash, inspect, or otherwise process the PDF without first creating a file. |
| Node.js Buffer | Buffer.from(await page.pdf(options)) |
Buffer |
A library or function checks specifically for a Node.js Buffer. |
| File on disk | await page.pdf({ path: 'output.pdf' }) |
A PDF file at the supplied path | The intended hand-off is a filename or an on-disk artifact. |
| Readable stream | await page.createPDFStream(options) |
ReadableStream<Uint8Array> |
The consumer accepts a stream and you do not need to assemble the entire document first. |
The documented return type is Uint8Array, not a Puppeteer-specific or guaranteed Node.js Buffer. The Buffer conversion is ordinary Node.js byte conversion. The documentation also does not promise that a call made with path simultaneously returns usable PDF bytes, so do not design around both outputs from one invocation without checking the version you have installed.
Get a PDF as a Uint8Array or Buffer
When the next operation consumes data in memory, omit path. This complete Node.js example opens a page, creates print output, converts the bytes to a Buffer, and writes that Buffer with Node’s file system API:
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import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
import { writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
// Puppeteer returns Uint8Array in the documented API.
const pdfBytes = await page.pdf({
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true
});
// Convert only when the receiving API expects a Node.js Buffer.
const pdfBuffer = Buffer.from(pdfBytes);
await writeFile('output.pdf', pdfBuffer);
} finally {
await browser.close();
}If no Buffer-specific consumer is involved, keep pdfBytes as the Uint8Array. It already contains the complete PDF and can be passed to an API that accepts typed-array data. Await the call before using the value; the promise resolves only after PDF generation completes.
Return bytes from a function
export async function renderPdfBuffer(url) {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto(url);
const bytes = await page.pdf({ format: 'A4' });
return Buffer.from(bytes);
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
}
const buffer = await renderPdfBuffer('https://example.com');
// Send buffer to an object store, HTTP response, queue, or another service.Keeping browser shutdown in a finally block prevents a failed navigation or PDF render from leaving the browser process running.
Save the PDF directly to a file
Supply path when the desired result is a file:
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.pdf({
path: 'output.pdf',
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}path is optional. If you use a relative path such as output.pdf, Puppeteer resolves it from the Node.js process’s current working directory, not necessarily from the directory containing your source file. Use an absolute path when a worker, test runner, container, or service may start in a different directory. Ensure the parent directory exists and is writable before calling page.pdf().
Use the path form when a downstream job expects a filename, when the document is too inconvenient to retain in application state, or when you want Puppeteer to perform the write. Use the byte form instead when you must upload or transform the result immediately.
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Use a PDF stream when the consumer supports one
page.createPDFStream(options) resolves to a ReadableStream<Uint8Array>. It is an alternative interface, not a documented promise of lower memory use or faster rendering. Choose it because the receiving component accepts a stream, then measure your own workload if memory or latency matters.
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const stream = await page.createPDFStream({
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true
});
const reader = stream.getReader();
const chunks = [];
try {
while (true) {
const { value, done } = await reader.read();
if (done) break;
chunks.push(Buffer.from(value));
}
} finally {
reader.releaseLock();
}
const pdfBuffer = Buffer.concat(chunks);If your destination already accepts a web ReadableStream, pass stream directly and omit the chunk collection. If it requires a Buffer or a file, collecting the chunks as shown gives you the same kind of hand-off as the regular byte-returning method.
Control page size, media, backgrounds, and timing
The PDF API renders with print CSS media by default. Select screen media first when the document must follow screen styles instead:
await page.emulateMediaType('screen');
const bytes = await page.pdf({
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true
});The documented Puppeteer 25.12.0 options include these defaults and controls. Verify the reference for the Puppeteer version installed in your project because signatures and defaults are version-specific.
| Option | Documented behavior | Typical reason to set it |
|---|---|---|
format |
Defaults to letter. |
Set A4 or another supported paper format for your audience or workflow. |
printBackground |
Defaults to false. |
Set true when colored panels, backgrounds, or images are part of the intended design. |
preferCSSPageSize |
Defaults to false. |
Set it when the page’s CSS @page size should take precedence over the selected paper format. |
waitForFonts |
Defaults to true. |
Keep the default when font loading must finish before layout is captured. |
timeout |
Defaults to 30,000 milliseconds. | Increase it for legitimately slow pages; investigate the page or environment instead of masking repeated failures. |
margin |
Controls top, right, bottom, and left margins. | Reserve printable space or match a document template. |
landscape |
Changes page orientation. | Use it for wide tables, dashboards, or landscape reports. |
pageRanges |
Restricts output to selected pages. | Export only the pages needed by a downstream process. |
scale |
Controls rendered scale. | Adjust fit when content is too large or too small for the chosen page. |
omitBackground |
Controls omission of the page background. | Use only when a transparent or background-free result is intentional. |
For a predictable result, decide media type, paper size, margins, background handling, and page range together. A page designed exclusively with screen CSS can look unexpectedly different if you leave print media enabled; conversely, forcing screen media can ignore print-specific rules.
A reliable capture sequence
- Create and manage one browser lifecycle. Launch the browser, create a page, and always close the browser in
finally. - Navigate to the target. Use the URL your application is authorized to access. If the page loads data asynchronously, wait for the condition your page requires before calling
pdf(). - Select media and layout. Set screen media only when needed, then choose format, margins, orientation, page ranges, scale, and background behavior.
- Await the PDF operation. Keep the resolved
Uint8Array, convert it to a Buffer only for a Buffer-oriented consumer, or providepathfor direct file output. - Validate the hand-off. Check that the expected file exists or that the byte array is non-empty before uploading or returning it.
Troubleshooting common failures
The receiving library rejects the result as the wrong type
Cause: page.pdf() returns Uint8Array in the documented API, while the library checks for Buffer specifically.
Fix: use const buffer = Buffer.from(await page.pdf(options)). Do not describe the original Puppeteer result as a Buffer.
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- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
No file appears after a successful-looking run
Cause: the relative path was resolved from the process’s current working directory, or the parent directory is missing or not writable.
Fix: log the process working directory, use an absolute destination during diagnosis, create the parent directory, and check write permissions.
The PDF has the wrong colors or layout
Cause: PDF generation uses print media by default and backgrounds are disabled by default.
Fix: call page.emulateMediaType('screen') when screen CSS is required and set printBackground: true when backgrounds belong in the output.
Fonts or late content are missing
Cause: capture happened before the page finished the work that determines layout, or a font failed to load.
Fix: wait for the page-specific readiness condition before calling pdf(); retain the documented waitForFonts: true default unless you have a reason to change it.
The operation times out
Cause: the PDF operation exceeded its documented 30,000-millisecond default timeout, often because the page or environment is slow.
Fix: identify slow navigation, scripts, fonts, or resources first. Increase the PDF timeout only when the longer duration is expected and acceptable.
A stream cannot be passed to the next API
Cause: the destination expects a Buffer or file rather than a web ReadableStream.
Fix: use page.pdf() and convert its bytes, or read the stream’s chunks and combine them with Buffer.concat().
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Performance, reliability, and cost decisions
- Memory: the byte and Buffer approaches keep the complete document in application memory. A stream gives a different interface, but the reviewed API documentation makes no comparative memory or speed guarantee.
- Determinism: fixed paper settings, explicit media selection, and a page-readiness condition reduce differences between runs. Keep the Puppeteer version pinned and verify options against that installed version.
- Failure handling: close the browser in
finally, distinguish navigation failures from PDF failures in logs, and validate output before publishing it. - Cost: local Puppeteer rendering has the infrastructure and browser-process costs of your own runtime. The Puppeteer API documentation does not provide a per-PDF service price; budget CPU, memory, storage, and execution time from measurements in your environment.
Or skip the browser setup
If you only need a clean PDF of a URL, ScreenshotNeo exposes a single request instead of requiring you to manage a browser. 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 are not billed, and the response reports the page verdict and billing status in X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the current parameters. The PDF request can be made with cURL:
curl -G 'https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot' -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o page.pdfThe same endpoint is usable from Python:
import requests
r = requests.get(
'https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot',
params={'access_key': 'YOUR_API_KEY', 'url': 'https://example.com'},
timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open('page.pdf', 'wb').write(r.content)And from Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://example.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`ScreenshotNeo returned ${res.status}`);
const bytes = Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer());
await Bun.write('page.pdf', bytes);ScreenshotNeo also supports full-page capture, element selection, custom CSS and JavaScript, click and wait actions, device and viewport settings, PDF paper size, margins, landscape mode, page ranges, headers and cookies, geolocation and timezone, caching, signed links, asynchronous jobs, webhooks, bulk capture, usage reporting, and an OpenAPI specification. Every feature is included on every plan. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots, with yearly billing providing two months free.
Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to try the 1,000 monthly screenshots without a card.
FAQ
Can I rely on a relative PDF path in a scheduled job?
Only if the job’s current working directory is controlled. For scheduled workers and containers, prefer an absolute path or construct one from a known application directory.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsShould I call page.pdf() twice to get both bytes and a file?
There is no documented guarantee that a call using path also returns usable bytes. Generate the bytes once and write them yourself when you need both outcomes, or verify the exact behavior of your installed Puppeteer version before depending on a second call.
Best Value
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- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
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When is createPDFStream() the right interface?
Use it when the next component accepts a web readable stream. It is an interface choice, not a documented performance ranking; benchmark your actual documents if throughput or memory determines the design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rely on a relative PDF path in a scheduled job?
Only if the job’s current working directory is controlled. For scheduled workers and containers, prefer an absolute path or construct one from a known application directory.
Should I call page.pdf() twice to get both bytes and a file?
There is no documented guarantee that a call using path also returns usable bytes. Generate the bytes once and write them yourself when you need both outcomes, or verify the exact behavior of your installed Puppeteer version before depending on a second call.
When is createPDFStream() the right interface?
Use it when the next component accepts a web readable stream. It is an interface choice, not a documented performance ranking; benchmark your actual documents if throughput or memory determines the design.
Quick Recap
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