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Set the margins with wkhtmltopdf’s page options before the input file and output filename: wkhtmltopdf --margin-top 20mm --margin-bottom 25mm input.html output.pdf. The short forms are -T and -B. Values must include a unit, such as mm or cm. For the library API, set the global PDF settings margin.top and margin.bottom. Then open the generated PDF and check that the body, header and footer occupy the intended printable area.
Use the CLI margin options
The normal command-line interface exposes separate controls for the top and bottom page margins. Put these global options before the input object and output filename:
wkhtmltopdf --margin-top 20mm --margin-bottom 25mm input.html output.pdf--margin-top (also -T) sets the top margin. --margin-bottom (also -B) sets the bottom margin. The options affect the page area around the rendered document; they do not change the HTML source itself.
| Purpose | Long option | Short option | Example value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top page margin | --margin-top |
-T |
20mm |
| Bottom page margin | --margin-bottom |
-B |
25mm |
The option names and short forms are documented in the official wkhtmltopdf usage documentation.
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Choose units and values deliberately
Pass a unit-bearing numeric value rather than a bare number. The API reference uses 2cm as an example, and the same style makes command-line settings unambiguous.
15mmis a compact metric margin.2cmis equivalent to 20mm and is easier to read when designing a generous print border.- Use the same unit for both edges when you want a symmetrical layout, or set each edge independently when a header or footer needs different space.
There is no universal margin value in the documentation. Choose a value from the printable area your document needs and from the space consumed by any header or footer, then verify the actual PDF.
Common command patterns
Set both margins with long options
wkhtmltopdf --margin-top 20mm --margin-bottom 25mm input.html output.pdfThis is the clearest form for scripts and team documentation because the purpose of each value is visible.
Use the short options
wkhtmltopdf -T 20mm -B 25mm input.html output.pdfThe short flags produce the same settings. Keep the values immediately after their corresponding options.
Give the top and bottom different priorities
wkhtmltopdf --margin-top 35mm --margin-bottom 15mm report.html report.pdfA larger top margin is useful when the first page has a tall header. A larger bottom margin can reserve room for a footer or prevent the final lines from sitting too close to the page edge. The correct values depend on your template; inspect the result instead of assuming that a command-line example will fit every design.
Make room for headers and footers
wkhtmltopdf supports header and footer options as well as separate controls for header and footer spacing. Treat those settings and the page margins as one layout system:
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- Start with the top and bottom margins required by the printed body.
- Add the vertical space occupied by the header and footer in your template.
- Render a representative page, including the longest heading and the footer content that can occur in production.
- Increase the relevant page margin or reduce the corresponding header/footer spacing if content overlaps or is clipped.
The libwkhtmltox settings reference specifically warns that excessive header spacing can place a header outside the PDF. Its stated remedy is to correct the situation with margin.top. In practice, do not judge this from the command alone: open the PDF and check the first page, a middle page and the last page.
Use the official libwkhtmltox page-settings reference for the global margin and header/footer settings, and the usage documentation for the command-line switches.
Set margins through the libwkhtmltox API
When you embed wkhtmltopdf rather than invoking the executable, top and bottom margins are global PDF settings. Set:
| Global setting | Meaning | Example value |
|---|---|---|
margin.top |
Distance reserved above the page body | 2cm |
margin.bottom |
Distance reserved below the page body | 2cm |
The exact assignment syntax depends on the language binding you use, but the setting names are the same global PDF keys. Do not confuse these with per-page HTML CSS: they belong to the converter’s global PDF configuration. Apply them before the conversion job is created, then render and inspect the resulting document.
Verify the binary before debugging the layout
First check which executable is actually running:
wkhtmltopdf --version-V is also accepted. Record that version with your build or deployment information. The project documentation is generated documentation, and the reviewed references do not provide a complete compatibility matrix for every version, wrapper and platform. A wrapper may also translate or discard options, so confirming the binary is an important first check.
Inspect the PDF, not just the command
Margin errors are visual. After each change, inspect:
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- The first page, where a header is most likely to collide with the body.
- A page containing a long paragraph, table or image.
- The last page, where a footer or final line can be pushed beyond the bottom margin.
- The printed or PDF-viewer page boundary, rather than only the HTML viewport.
If a change fixes one page but breaks another, use the largest header, footer or content combination that your real documents can produce as the test case.
Troubleshoot top and bottom margin problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The command says an option is unknown. | The executable or wrapper is not the binary you expected, or it uses a different build. | Run wkhtmltopdf --version, test the documented long option directly, and check the installed build’s usage output. |
| The header is clipped or appears outside the page. | Header spacing is too large for the current top margin. | Reduce header spacing or increase --margin-top/-T; the API equivalent is margin.top. |
| The footer overlaps body text. | The body has too little reserved space at the bottom, or footer spacing is too large. | Increase --margin-bottom/-B, reduce footer spacing, and render a page with the longest expected body content. |
| The value is rejected or behaves unexpectedly. | The value has no unit or contains a typo. | Use a unit-bearing value such as 20mm or 2cm. |
| The margins appear unchanged. | The options were placed incorrectly, or a wrapper did not pass them through. | Place global options before the input and output arguments, run the executable directly, and compare its PDF with the wrapper’s PDF. |
| Two machines render different spacing. | Different binaries, versions, wrappers or platform builds may be involved. | Capture wkhtmltopdf --version in diagnostics and compare the exact command and installed build before changing the margins. |
| Only one template is wrong. | That template’s header, footer or content consumes a different amount of vertical space. | Use a template-specific margin or spacing adjustment and verify it with representative first, middle and final pages. |
A repeatable margin workflow
- Save the exact wkhtmltopdf version with your project configuration.
- Measure or estimate the vertical space required by the body, header and footer.
- Set
--margin-topand--margin-bottomwith explicit units. - Keep those options before the input object and output filename.
- Render a test PDF containing the most demanding content your production template allows.
- Check the first, middle and last pages and adjust the smallest margin that solves the problem.
- Commit the final command or global settings so another environment can reproduce the layout.
This process separates a margin problem from a source-template problem and makes future changes easier to diagnose.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does wkhtmltopdf document a universal recommended margin size?
No. The official references document the option syntax and settings, not a single margin that fits every printable area, header or footer. Select values for your template and verify the rendered PDF.
Can behavior be assumed identical across every wkhtmltopdf package?
No complete compatibility matrix is established by the project references. Record the output of wkhtmltopdf --version and test the exact binary, wrapper and platform you deploy.
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