How to Save Apify Website Screenshots as PDF
Run an Apify screenshot Actor, choose PDF output, and download the result from its run storage. Learn about print layout, API runs, and common issues.
Direct answer: Choose an Apify Store website screenshot Actor that explicitly supports PDF, enter the page URL, select PDF in the Actor’s input, run it, then download the generated file from the run’s documented output or storage. Actor inputs and output locations vary, so check the selected Actor’s current Store page before starting.
1. Choose an Actor that supports PDF
Apify Actors are tools for web scraping and automation. Their inputs and outputs are defined by each Actor, so the exact form fields and result links are not universal. Start with the Actor’s Store listing and confirm that PDF is a supported output. The fetch_cat/website-screenshot-generator listing documents an outputFormat option that includes pdf.
Before running, check the listing for:
- PDF in the supported output formats.
- The exact field used to supply one or more URLs.
- Any PDF layout options, such as paper size, orientation, or background rendering.
- How the run exposes generated files and any costs or maintenance details.
- Whether API execution is documented if you need to automate captures.
2. Save a screenshot as PDF in Apify Console
- Open the chosen screenshot Actor’s Store page and review its current input schema and output documentation.
- Open the Actor in Apify Console and enter the target website URL in the documented URL field.
- Set the output format to PDF. In the example Actor above, the documented field is
outputFormatandpdfis an available value; other Actors may use different names. - Set any PDF-specific options the Actor provides. If you need a particular paper size or orientation, verify that the Actor exposes those controls.
- Run the Actor and wait for its run to finish.
- Open the completed run’s output and follow the file link or storage instructions documented by that Actor. The example listing describes generated files in the run’s key-value store and metadata in the default dataset.
- Download the PDF from the exposed file link or storage record, then open it to check page breaks, orientation, and content.
Apify documents Actors and platform storage for files and results in its documentation. The particular Actor determines which storage record or output link contains the PDF.
3. Understand PDF layout versus a full-page image
A PDF is often rendered using the browser’s print layout, which can paginate content. The cited screenshot Actor states that PDF output ignores its screenshotType setting because PDF rendering uses page print layout. Do not assume that selecting a full-page image capture option will create one very tall PDF page.
If the document is split unexpectedly, check the Actor’s PDF settings and the target site’s print styles. If you need one continuous image rather than a paginated document, request an image output and convert that image to a PDF separately only if a PDF file container is still required. That produces a different result from a print-layout PDF.
4. Automate a run through the Apify API
Use the API when captures need to run repeatedly or as part of a workflow. API paths and input fields depend on the Actor; use the selected listing’s API tab as the source of truth. The tidytools/website-screenshot-pdf-markdown API page documents API execution, the requirement for an Apify account and API token, and retrieving the default dataset through the API or previewing it in Apify Console.
The following is a shell template for posting JSON input to the run endpoint shape documented for an Actor. Replace the placeholder endpoint and JSON keys with the exact endpoint and input schema shown on that Actor’s API tab. Never put a real token into source control.
export APIFY_TOKEN='YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN'
export ACTOR_RUN_ENDPOINT='https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/ACTOR_OWNER~ACTOR_NAME/runs?token=YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN'
curl -X POST "$ACTOR_RUN_ENDPOINT" \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data '{"url":"https://example.com","outputFormat":"pdf"}'This request starts a run; it does not guarantee that the PDF itself is in the response. Inspect the run status and the Actor’s documented output or storage interface after completion. For a dataset-oriented Actor, the API page may show how to retrieve the default dataset. For a file-oriented Actor, use the documented key-value store or file link.
5. Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No PDF option appears | The selected Actor does not support PDF, or the field is named differently. | Check the current Store listing and input schema. Choose an Actor that explicitly documents PDF output. |
| The run succeeds but there is no obvious download | The Actor exposes files through storage or a dataset rather than a direct link. | Open the completed run’s output and follow its storage documentation. The example screenshot generator describes files in the run’s key-value store and metadata in the default dataset. |
| The PDF has page breaks or differs from a tall screenshot | PDF rendering uses print layout and pagination; image capture settings may not apply. | Look for PDF-specific controls. If you need a continuous tall image, capture an image instead and convert it separately if needed. |
| An API request is rejected | The token, endpoint, HTTP method, or JSON input does not match the selected Actor’s API instructions. | Use that Actor’s API tab, confirm the account and token requirements, and match its input schema exactly. |
| The file omits content or has an unexpected layout | The page may render differently in print mode, or the Actor may not wait for the site’s dynamic content. | Review the Actor’s documented wait and PDF options, then inspect the resulting PDF before relying on it. |
6. Reliability, performance, and cost considerations
Actor execution time and pricing are specific to the Actor and the target page; the research sources do not establish a universal runtime or price. Check current Store details before scheduling large runs. For repeat captures, record the Actor name, input schema, run identifier, and output location so a failed or changed run can be traced.
Pages with heavy scripts or delayed content can take longer and may not print identically to a static page. Validate representative pages and inspect the PDF output, especially when page layout matters. For batch work, follow the Actor’s documented URL limits and API instructions rather than assuming that one Actor’s limits apply to another.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server from Yorker Media. One GET request can return a screenshot or PDF. Its API can accept cookie and consent banners and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation. This runnable cURL example requests a PDF:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" \
-d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY \
--data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com \
-d format=pdf \
-o page.pdfScreenshotNeo has a free plan with 1,000 screenshots per month and no card required. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Sign up for free and get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
FAQ
Can every Apify screenshot Actor create PDFs?
No. Confirm PDF is explicitly listed as an output format on the Actor you choose.
Does choosing PDF preserve one-page full-page screenshot behavior?
Not necessarily. The cited example Actor documents PDF as print-layout output, which can paginate independently of its screenshot image setting.
Where is the finished file?
Follow the selected Actor’s run output instructions. The example screenshot generator documents files in the run’s key-value store; other Actors may expose a direct file link or another output structure.
Can I automate multiple captures?
Some Actors document API execution. Use that Actor’s API tab for its current endpoint, input schema, and output retrieval steps.
