wkhtmltopdf creates PDF files, not single-image screenshots. To capture a webpage as a raster image or SVG, use its companion command, wkhtmltoimage. One important caveat: the official image settings document viewport width, smart-width behavior, and cropping, but do not promise that every build will automatically capture the full height of any webpage. Check the output from your installed binary and target page before relying on it as a full-page image.
Choose the output you actually need
The first decision is whether you need one tall image or a PDF document. They are different outputs, even when both show a webpage from top to bottom.
| Need | Use | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| One raster image, such as PNG or JPEG, or an SVG | wkhtmltoimage |
The companion utility converts HTML into an image format. Its image settings expose output format and quality options. Full-document height is not guaranteed by the cited settings reference. |
| A conventional PDF | wkhtmltopdf |
A PDF can span pages. The PDF settings include page size, orientation, margins, and custom page width and height. |
| A tall, custom-dimension PDF | wkhtmltopdf with PDF page settings |
This remains a PDF, not a single screenshot image. Choose dimensions deliberately and inspect the result in a PDF viewer. |
The wkhtmltopdf project overview describes the tools as rendering HTML into PDF and image formats using Qt WebKit. Its library documentation describes the image binding as conversion to raster image or SVG. Do not use the command name as a reason to expect wkhtmltopdf to write PNG or JPEG output.
Capture a page with wkhtmltoimage
For a basic capture, give wkhtmltoimage a page URL and an output filename with an image extension. For example:
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wkhtmltoimage https://example.com example.pngRun this in a terminal where the wkhtmltoimage executable is installed and available on your PATH. Use a URL your machine can reach; a private page may also require authentication that the basic command does not provide. The example requests an image, but it does not prove that the output includes the entire document height. Open the resulting file and check its width, bottom edge, and content.
Set the rendering width deliberately
The image settings reference documents screenWidth, which sets the rendering screen width, and smartWidth, which controls whether that width expands when the content does not fit. These settings affect the layout: a page rendered at a narrow width may wrap text or rearrange responsive elements, while a wider layout may require a larger image. Decide what the screenshot should represent—such as a phone-sized view or a desktop layout—and verify that the output uses the intended width.
Image settings also include crop coordinates and dimensions. Cropping selects a region; it is not a command to discover and capture the full document height. If a precise full-page result matters, compare the produced image with the page in a browser and test the installed build on the actual site. The official settings reference does not state a universal automatic full-height guarantee.
Allow time for JavaScript content
For pages that add content shortly after loading, the documented load.jsdelay setting provides a delay in milliseconds before capture. The reference says the tool waits for that period after page load, or until JavaScript calls window.print(). A delay can help with content that appears soon after initial load, but it is only a timing allowance. It cannot establish that every script has finished, every lazy-loaded image has appeared, or an infinite-scroll page is complete.
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When content is missing, try a longer delay and capture again, then compare the result. If the page needs interaction, authentication, or scrolling to reveal content, a fixed wait may not be enough. The cited settings establish the delay behavior, not a general mechanism that guarantees all dynamic content is ready.
Use wkhtmltopdf when the deliverable is a PDF
If a PDF is what you need, use the PDF utility directly:
wkhtmltopdf https://example.com page.pdfPDF settings provide controls for page size, orientation, margins, image quality, DPI, and custom page width and height. A custom page size can make a long page less fragmented, but the output is still a PDF document; it is not equivalent to a single image file. For an unusually tall page, choose dimensions that suit the intended viewer and inspect the PDF for clipping, unreadable scaling, or awkward page breaks.
PDF pagination and image capture solve different problems. A PDF is usually more suitable when readers need to print, select text, or move between pages. A raster image is useful when an application specifically needs one image asset. Pick based on how the result will be used rather than trying to treat one format as a substitute for the other.
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Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. A single GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. For example, this cURL request saves a WebP capture:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo documentation for parameters and response details. The equivalent Python request is:
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 accepts cookie and consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Sign up for free: get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
Check version and treat input safely
The project downloads page lists 0.12.6 as the stable series and dates that release June 11, 2020. That is a dated release listing, not a promise about what is installed on your machine or whether it suits your current operating system. Check the official downloads page for the binary and platform information relevant to your environment, and verify the installed version before depending on particular behavior.
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Troubleshoot missing or incorrect captures
- The command is not found: The executable is not installed or is not on the current shell’s PATH. Install the appropriate build from the official downloads page or invoke it using its installed path.
- You get a PDF when you wanted an image: Use the companion
wkhtmltoimagecommand and an image filename.wkhtmltopdfis the PDF utility. - The screenshot is too narrow or the page wraps unexpectedly: Review the rendering screen width and smart-width behavior documented for the image interface. Change the width for the layout you need and inspect the result rather than assuming the page will match a browser viewport.
- The bottom of the page is missing: Do not assume the image tool automatically captures all document height. The official settings reference does not establish that guarantee. Check the installed binary’s behavior and the actual target page; crop settings alone select a region rather than prove full-page capture.
- Text, images, or widgets are absent: If the content appears after initial load, the documented JavaScript delay may help. Increase the wait and compare captures. If content requires interaction or further scrolling, a delay alone may not trigger it.
- The PDF is split or scaled awkwardly: Check page size, orientation, margins, and custom dimensions. These are PDF settings, and changing them changes page layout rather than converting the document into a single image.
- Results differ by machine: Confirm the installed release and platform build. The project lists 0.12.6 as its stable series with a June 11, 2020 release date; the documentation does not establish identical behavior across every environment.
Plan for quality, timing, and reliability
Width, image format, and quality settings affect whether the output is useful for its purpose. A larger rendering width can preserve a desktop layout but produce a larger image; a smaller width changes responsive layout. Select an output format and quality appropriate to the destination, then check legibility at the size at which the image will actually be viewed. The official image settings reference exposes format and quality controls but does not supply a universal best value.
For repeated captures, use a consistent width and wait policy, and validate representative pages rather than treating a successful command exit as proof that the screenshot is complete. Dynamic sites may change after load, and the documented delay is not a guarantee of completeness. On servers, account for processing time and resource use in your own environment; the supplied project references do not establish a performance benchmark or a fixed capture time.
Finally, keep output type and security separate in your workflow: choose wkhtmltoimage for a single image, choose wkhtmltopdf for a PDF, and do not feed untrusted HTML/JavaScript into the project tools without sanitizing it as the project warns.
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