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To make wkhtmltopdf use the intended content width, set the PDF paper size and left/right margins first, then choose a browser viewport that suits the page’s responsive CSS. Make the HTML container fit that viewport, decide whether the document should use screen or print styles, and only then adjust smart shrinking or zoom. This order separates page geometry from browser scaling and makes a squeezed PDF easier to diagnose.
How wkhtmltopdf determines usable content width
A PDF page’s width is not the same as the space available to your HTML. The relationship runs from paper size to margins, to usable PDF width, to the emulated browser viewport, and finally to the CSS width of the content container. If any link in that chain is narrower than expected, the result may look squeezed, leave excessive whitespace, or overflow the page.
- Paper width: Choose a standard size with
--page-size, or specify dimensions with--page-widthand--page-height. - Margins: Set
--margin-leftand--margin-right. These reduce the width available to page content. - Usable PDF width: This is the paper width minus the left and right margins.
- Viewport: A browser-window width can affect responsive breakpoints and CSS units such as
vw. Set it deliberately with--viewport-sizewhen those rules matter. - CSS container: Check
widthandmax-widthdeclarations on the main wrapper. A fixed-width container wider than the intended layout can trigger scaling or overflow.
The wkhtmltopdf documentation says the default page size is A4 and that --page-size can select other sizes, including A3, Letter, and Legal. Use an explicit size rather than relying on the default when the output must match a known paper format. See the wkhtmltopdf command-line usage documentation for the available page controls.
Set page size, margins, viewport, and media type
Start with a command that makes the key layout inputs visible. This example is a starting point, not a universal preset: choose the paper size, margins, viewport, and media mode to match your own document.
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wkhtmltopdf
--page-size A4
--margin-left 12mm --margin-right 12mm
--viewport-size 1200x900
--print-media-type
--disable-smart-shrinking
input.html output.pdfHere, A4 and 12 mm side margins define the page geometry; the 1200-pixel viewport provides a deliberate browser width for responsive CSS. The print-media flag selects print styles. Disabling smart shrinking gives you a useful comparison point when automatic scaling seems to be changing the apparent size. The example does not guarantee that a 1200-pixel CSS container will fit a particular PDF width: compare your CSS layout with the usable width in the resulting PDF.
Choose paper size before tuning CSS
Use --page-size for standard paper sizes, or specify custom dimensions with --page-width and --page-height when the document calls for a nonstandard page. Page dimensions and margins determine the physical space available; CSS should be adjusted to suit that space rather than using zoom to compensate for an unknown page setup.
Make side margins explicit
Set both horizontal margins even when you think the defaults are acceptable. A larger margin leaves less usable width; a smaller one gives the content more room. If the PDF is unexpectedly narrow, verify the effective page size and both margins before changing the HTML.
Set viewport width for responsive layouts
--viewport-size emulates a browser window size. It is relevant when the page uses media queries or viewport-relative units, because those styles can make the content layout differ from what you expected. The viewport is not a replacement for setting paper dimensions and margins: it controls the emulated browser environment, while those options control the PDF page.
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Choose screen CSS or print CSS
wkhtmltopdf renders screen media by default. Add --print-media-type when the print stylesheet should define the PDF layout, for example when your CSS includes @media print rules that change widths or hide screen-only elements. If the screen stylesheet is the intended source of truth, omit that flag and check the screen rules instead.
When the PDF differs sharply from a browser preview, check which media rules were applied before editing dimensions. A print rule may set a different wrapper width, while a responsive screen rule may change the layout at the chosen viewport. Make the media choice and viewport intentional, then inspect the relevant container rules.
Inspect the HTML container and overflow
Review the main wrapper’s width and max-width declarations alongside the viewport and usable PDF width. A fixed pixel width can exceed the intended layout. A maximum width can also keep a page narrow even if the PDF has room for more content. Update the CSS or viewport to match the design rather than assuming the PDF renderer will infer the desired width.
Check wide tables, images, and long unbreakable strings separately. These elements may extend beyond the wrapper even when ordinary paragraphs fit. Look for oversized intrinsic image dimensions, table columns that cannot wrap, or long URLs and identifiers. Choose wrapping, resizing, or a layout adjustment appropriate to the content; changing the global zoom may make ordinary text too small without fixing the overflow source.
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Compare smart shrinking and zoom carefully
If content appears scaled down, compare a run with smart shrinking enabled against one using --disable-smart-shrinking. Record the page size, margins, viewport, and zoom for both runs so the comparison changes one factor at a time. Smart shrinking is a renderer behavior; disabling it is a diagnostic option, not a guarantee that every layout will fit without CSS changes.
--zoom changes apparent scale. Use it only after page geometry, viewport, media type, and container width are stable. Otherwise it can obscure the underlying mismatch: text may get smaller while the layout remains based on the wrong width. The command-line documentation describes --zoom and --disable-smart-shrinking along with page and viewport controls.
Use the library settings when calling libwkhtmltox
The library API exposes corresponding controls rather than requiring a CLI command. Its documented settings include size.width and size.pageSize for page dimensions, margin.left and margin.right, screenWidth, smartWidth, load.zoomFactor, and load.printMediaType. Map the same decisions into your application: paper, margins, viewport, media mode, shrinking behavior, and zoom.
Consult the libwkhtmltox page settings documentation for the setting names and supported values. Keep your chosen values together in application configuration or logs; otherwise it is difficult to reproduce a rendering difference between environments.
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Troubleshoot a squeezed or unexpectedly scaled PDF
Work through these checks in order, changing one class of settings at a time:
- Confirm the binary: Check which wkhtmltopdf executable is installed and whether it is the patched-Qt build needed for the feature set you use. Different build capabilities can affect which options are available.
- Fix page geometry: Set the page size or custom dimensions, then set both horizontal margins explicitly.
- Choose a viewport: Set a deliberate viewport width if responsive CSS or
vwvalues affect the result. - Inspect media rules and wrappers: Confirm whether screen or print CSS is active, then review
@media print,width, andmax-width. - Compare shrinking behavior: Render once with the default behavior and once with
--disable-smart-shrinking, holding other values fixed. - Adjust zoom last: Only tune
--zoomafter the preceding geometry and CSS checks. - Find local overflow: Inspect wide tables, images, and long unbreakable strings that may exceed the intended content width.
Symptoms and likely checks
- Everything is smaller than expected: Compare smart shrinking on and off, and verify the usable page width, viewport, and wrapper dimensions before changing zoom.
- The content is narrow with blank space beside it: Check for a restrictive container
max-width, a narrow responsive breakpoint, or print CSS that caps the wrapper. - Some elements cross the page edge: Inspect tables, images, and unbreakable text rather than widening every paragraph container.
- The PDF differs from the browser: Verify whether screen or print media is active and whether the emulated viewport selects a different breakpoint.
- An option does not work as expected: Confirm the installed binary and its build capabilities, then consult the relevant CLI or library documentation for that option.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is a screenshot or PDF from a URL rather than controlling a local wkhtmltopdf installation, ScreenshotNeo offers a one-request API. For example, request a PDF using the documented API parameters:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot"
-d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY
--data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com
-d format=pdf
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Keep a reproducible width record
When a PDF looks wrong, record the executable/build, page size, side margins, viewport, media type, smart-shrinking setting, and zoom used for that output. This makes comparisons meaningful and helps distinguish a CSS change from a renderer-setting change. For a width problem, compare the intended CSS container with the space left after margins, not with the paper’s full width.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is wkhtmltopdf’s default page size?
The wkhtmltopdf command-line documentation says the default is A4.
Does wkhtmltopdf use print CSS automatically?
No. It renders screen media by default; use --print-media-type to select print styles.
Should I change zoom to make the content wider?
Not first. Stabilize page dimensions, margins, viewport, media rules, and container width before adjusting --zoom.
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