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On Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble), the simplest installation is Ubuntu’s APT package: run sudo apt update, then sudo apt install wkhtmltopdf. Check which executable your shell will run with command -v wkhtmltopdf, identify its build with wkhtmltopdf --version, and convert a small local HTML file to confirm PDF output works.
Install the Ubuntu 24.04 archive package
Ubuntu’s Noble amd64 archive lists wkhtmltopdf version 0.12.6-2build2 in the Universe component. Ubuntu describes it as a command-line utility that converts HTML to PDF or images using WebKit. The package listing includes Qt 5 and Qt WebKit dependencies and recommends an X server or Xvfb; runtime requirements can matter on a headless server. Ubuntu package listing
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Refresh APT metadata:
sudo apt update -
Install the package:
sudo apt install wkhtmltopdf -
If prompted, review the package changes and confirm installation.
Package availability depends on your enabled repositories. If APT cannot locate the package, see the troubleshooting section and check that Universe is enabled.
#1 Best Overall
Choose a build that matches your requirements
The Ubuntu archive package and the upstream package described by a third-party guide are distinct builds. Do not treat their version strings, features, or compatibility as interchangeable.
| Route | Build and source | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu APT | Noble archive package 0.12.6-2build2, in Universe. Ubuntu Packages |
Installed through Ubuntu’s package manager; package listing identifies Qt 5 and Qt WebKit dependencies and recommends an X server or Xvfb. |
| Reported upstream patched-Qt package | Third-party guide reports using upstream wkhtmltox_0.12.6.1-3.jammy_amd64.deb on Noble. LinuxCapable guide |
This is reported guidance, not an Ubuntu endorsement or an independently verified Noble compatibility guarantee. The guide lists additional font and runtime dependencies. |
Upstream packaging distinguishes builds made with patched Qt and says distribution support for wkhtmltopdf with patched Qt is preferable when available. Feature behavior may differ between builds, so check the version output and confirm the behavior your application needs rather than assuming equivalence. Upstream packaging project
Check which wkhtmltopdf is running
Run both checks after installation:
command -v wkhtmltopdf
wkhtmltopdf --versioncommand -v identifies the executable found first in your shell’s PATH; the version command identifies the build. The Ubuntu package may resolve to /usr/bin/wkhtmltopdf. The third-party guide reports that its upstream package installs at /usr/local/bin/wkhtmltopdf and that wkhtmltopdf -V can show a version marked with patched qt. LinuxCapable guide A path by itself does not prove that rendering succeeds.
Run a local PDF smoke test
This suggested check exercises conversion without relying on a remote website. It is a procedure to run on your system, not a reported test result.
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Create a minimal HTML file:
printf '<h1>wkhtmltopdf check</h1><p>Local render succeeded.</p>n' > /tmp/wkhtmltopdf-check.html -
Convert it to PDF:
wkhtmltopdf /tmp/wkhtmltopdf-check.html /tmp/wkhtmltopdf-check.pdf -
Check the output file type:
file /tmp/wkhtmltopdf-check.pdf
A successful smoke test should leave the PDF at the specified path and have file identify it as a PDF document. Open it with your usual PDF viewer if you also want to check the rendered content visually.
Install the reported upstream package on Noble
A third-party guide reports that upstream’s Jammy amd64 package wkhtmltox_0.12.6.1-3.jammy_amd64.deb works on Noble after installing its listed font and runtime dependencies, including xfonts-75dpi and xfonts-base. This is the guide’s report, not an independently validated guarantee or a Noble-specific upstream package recommendation. LinuxCapable guide
If you specifically need a build marked with patched Qt, consult the upstream packaging context and the guide’s instructions, inspect the package and dependency list before installing, and verify the installed executable afterward. The Ubuntu archive listing identifies the archive package, but the sources cited here do not establish an upstream binary specifically built for Noble. Upstream packaging project
Troubleshoot installation and conversion
APT says it cannot locate the package
Ubuntu lists the Noble package in Universe. Check that the Universe component is enabled in your repository configuration, then refresh metadata and retry:
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sudo apt install wkhtmltopdfThe downloaded .deb reports unmet dependencies
The third-party guide reports missing font packages as a common issue for its package route, and describes installing dependencies or repairing package configuration through APT. Review the dependency error and the guide’s package-specific instructions; do not assume that the dependencies for the Jammy build are identical to those of Ubuntu’s Noble archive package. LinuxCapable guide
Rank #4
The version or path is not the one you expected
More than one installation may be present. Check the PATH result and version together:
command -v wkhtmltopdf
wkhtmltopdf --versionIf the result differs from your intended package, inspect the installed copies and PATH ordering before removing or replacing anything. The third-party guide reports /usr/local/bin/wkhtmltopdf for its upstream package, in contrast to the distribution package’s expected /usr/bin location. LinuxCapable guide
Conversion fails on a headless server
Review the runtime dependencies of the build you installed. Ubuntu’s package listing recommends an X server or Xvfb, a virtual X server, and identifies Qt/WebKit dependencies. A headless environment may need the appropriate runtime support even when the command is installed. Ubuntu package listing
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The command exists but no usable PDF is produced
Repeat the local smoke test and note the conversion command’s output and exit status. This separates command discovery from actual rendering. If the local input works but your application’s input does not, investigate that input and the application’s invocation separately; the cited package sources do not establish a universal fix for application-specific rendering failures.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Ubuntu 24.04 package use patched Qt?
The Noble package listing identifies version 0.12.6-2build2 and its dependencies, but the cited listing does not establish that it is a patched-Qt build. Check the installed version output and verify any required behavior.
How can I tell whether PDF rendering works, not just installation?
Convert a small local HTML file with wkhtmltopdf and confirm the resulting file is identified as a PDF; the smoke-test commands above provide one way to do that.
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