
If you've ever tried to download a PDF from Inspect Element, you know it can be a real challenge. The good news is that there are alternative methods to get the job done.
One such method is to use the "Save as" option in the browser's Inspect Element tool. This allows you to save the PDF as a file on your computer, making it easily accessible.
The "Save as" option is available in most modern browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.
For another approach, see: How to save Pdf to Google Drive
Using Browser Dev Tools
You can use browser developer tools to capture a web page as a PDF, which is especially useful for users familiar with web development or those seeking more control over the PDF conversion process.
This approach allows you to access the underlying HTML and CSS code of a web page, enabling precise customization before saving it as a PDF.
To use browser developer tools, open the web page you want to save as a PDF in your browser and right-click on any empty area of the page to select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element" from the context menu.
Additional reading: How to Use Inspect Element to Find Answers

This will open the browser's developer tools panel, where you can locate and click on the "Toggle Device Toolbar" icon to activate the responsive design mode.
Once in responsive design mode, select a suitable device type from the provided options, resize the viewport of the web page to fit within the desired PDF dimensions, and modify any necessary elements or styles using the developer tools.
To initiate the print preview mode, right-click on the HTML element representing the root of the page's content within the developer tools panel and select "Print" or "Capture screenshot" (depending on the browser).
In the print preview dialogue, choose the printer destination as "Save as PDF" or a similar option, adjust any additional print settings, and click on the "Print" or "Save" button to generate the PDF file.
Here's a step-by-step guide to using browser developer tools to capture a web page as a PDF:
- Open the web page you want to save as a PDF in your browser.
- Right-click on any empty area of the page and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element" from the context menu.
- Locate and click on the "Toggle Device Toolbar" icon to activate the responsive design mode.
- Select a suitable device type from the provided options.
- Resize the viewport of the web page to fit within the desired PDF dimensions.
- Modify any necessary elements or styles using the developer tools.
- Right-click on the HTML element representing the root of the page's content and select "Print" or "Capture screenshot" (depending on the browser).
- Choose the printer destination as "Save as PDF" or a similar option.
- Adjust any additional print settings.
- Click on the "Print" or "Save" button to generate the PDF file.
- Provide a relevant file name and save the PDF to a desired location on your computer.
Alternative Methods
You can download a PDF from Inspect Element using a few alternative methods.

One of these methods is by using the "Save as" option in the browser's context menu. To do this, you need to right-click on the element and select "Save as" from the context menu.
Another method is by using the browser's built-in developer tools, which allows you to view and edit the HTML and CSS of a webpage.
The "Save as" option can be used to download the PDF by selecting the element and then choosing the "Save as" option from the context menu.
Using the browser's developer tools requires some knowledge of HTML and CSS, but it can be a useful skill for web developers and designers.
You can also use a third-party extension, such as the "PDF Download" extension, to download PDFs from Inspect Element.
This method is especially useful if you need to download multiple PDFs from a single webpage.
If this caught your attention, see: Dropdown Menu Html Css Responsive
Puppeteer PDF Generation
Puppeteer PDF Generation is a method that allows you to access the underlying HTML and CSS code of a web page, enabling precise customization before saving it as a PDF. This approach is effective for users familiar with web development or those seeking more control over the PDF conversion process.
Using browser developer tools, you can access the HTML and CSS code of a web page. To do this, open the web page you want to save as a PDF in your browser and right-click on any empty area of the page to select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element" from the context menu.
The "Toggle Device Toolbar" icon, usually represented by a mobile or tablet device icon, is used to activate the responsive design mode. This allows you to select a suitable device type from the provided options, such as iPhone or iPad.
To customize the layout or content, you can modify the elements or styles using the developer tools. This can be done by resizing the viewport of the web page to ensure it fits within the desired PDF dimensions.
Once you've made the necessary modifications, right-click on the HTML element representing the root of the page's content, usually or , within the developer tools panel. From the context menu, select "Print" or "Capture screenshot" to initiate the print preview mode.
In the print preview dialogue, choose the printer destination as "Save as PDF" or a similar option. You can also adjust additional print settings, such as page orientation, margins, or headers and footers, if required.
See what others are reading: How to Make a Html File a Pdf
Here's a step-by-step guide to generating a PDF using Puppeteer:
- Open the web page you want to save as a PDF in your browser.
- Right-click on any empty area of the page and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element" from the context menu.
- Activate the responsive design mode by clicking on the "Toggle Device Toolbar" icon.
- Select a suitable device type from the provided options.
- Resize the viewport of the web page to fit within the desired PDF dimensions.
- Modify any necessary elements or styles using the developer tools.
- Right-click on the HTML element representing the root of the page's content and select "Print" or "Capture screenshot".
- Choose the printer destination as "Save as PDF" or a similar option.
- Adjust any additional print settings, if required.
- Click on the "Print" or "Save" button to generate the PDF file.
Sources
- https://www.pdfgear.com/pdf-editor-reader/how-to-download-view-only-pdf-from-website.htm
- https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26230485/save-embedded-pdf-from-website
- https://www.greengeeks.com/tutorials/save-a-web-page-as-a-pdf-in-chrome-browser/
- https://copychecker.com/blogs/how-to-save-a-webpage-as-a-pdf
- https://blog.risingstack.com/pdf-from-html-node-js-puppeteer/
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