SingleFileZ vs SingleFile: Which Chrome Extension Should You Use?
SingleFileZ has been merged into SingleFile. Here’s which Chrome extension to use, how their save formats differ, and what to check before relying on an archive.
Use SingleFile for a new Chrome setup. SingleFileZ’s project repository says it has been completely merged into SingleFile, which now offers the self-extracting format that made SingleFileZ distinctive. The practical choice is no longer between two actively separate extensions: it is between SingleFile’s standard single-HTML output and its self-extracting output. [The SingleFileZ project repository](https://github.com/gildas-lormeau/SingleFileZ) points users to SingleFile’s file-format options and offers a path for importing existing settings.
If you already have SingleFileZ files, keep them; the project’s merger notice is not a statement that existing files stop working. If you are starting now, install [SingleFile](https://github.com/gildas-lormeau/SingleFile) and select the output format that suits how you need to open, store, or extract the saved page. Since local-file behavior varies by format and browser, save and reopen a representative page in your intended Chrome setup before archiving a large collection.
1. What changed: SingleFileZ is part of SingleFile
SingleFileZ was an extension for saving a webpage in a self-extracting ZIP-style file. Its repository now says the project has been “completely merged into SingleFile.” The current SingleFile project documents both ordinary HTML and self-extracting file formats. That makes SingleFile the straightforward choice for a new Chrome user, while SingleFileZ remains relevant as the origin of an output format and to people with existing settings or saved files.
SingleFile describes itself as a browser extension and command-line tool that saves a complete webpage into one HTML file. Its README lists Chrome compatibility and additional browser workflows. Consult the [SingleFile README](https://github.com/gildas-lormeau/SingleFile) for current options and the [SingleFileZ repository](https://github.com/gildas-lormeau/SingleFileZ) for its merger notice.
2. Compare the formats before you save
| Choice | What it produces | Opening and portability | Useful when |
|---|---|---|---|
| SingleFile standard HTML | One HTML document containing the saved page and its captured resources. | The project says it can be viewed without an extension and without running JavaScript. | You want a familiar file that is easy to open and inspect. |
| SingleFile self-extracting ZIP | One compressed file containing the page and resources; resources can be extracted by unzipping. | Opening this format requires JavaScript. The project distinguishes a “universal” self-extracting format and notes that extension-free opening depends on the selected format. Browser and local-file restrictions can matter. | You want compressed packaging or the option to extract the page’s resources. |
SingleFile’s format table says both formats minify HTML and styles and remove unused HTML and styles. For self-extracting output, binary resources are not encoded in base64 and the files are compressed. The table also notes that an option must be enabled for page text in a self-extracting document to be indexable. Check the current [format documentation in the SingleFile README](https://github.com/gildas-lormeau/SingleFile) before choosing settings for a collection.
There is an important Chrome caveat: the older [SingleFileZ FAQ](https://github.com/gildas-lormeau/SingleFileZ/blob/master/faq.md) says Chrome cannot open SingleFileZ files directly from the filesystem without the extension or a command-line switch. The current SingleFile documentation separately describes a universal self-extracting format. Do not assume the old SingleFileZ limitation applies identically to every current SingleFile format—or that every self-extracting file will open in every Chrome setup. Confirm the behavior for your exact format and environment.
3. Save and verify a page in Chrome
- Install the current SingleFile extension from the project’s linked distribution and open a normal webpage you are allowed to access.
- Open SingleFile’s options and choose the file format: standard HTML for the simpler open-without-extension path, or a self-extracting format if compressed packaging or resource extraction matters.
- Review options that affect completeness and save time. For example, handling deferred images or frames can preserve additional content, while removing hidden elements or unused styles affects processing and output.
- Save using the toolbar button. The project also documents context-menu saving for the current tab, selected content, or a selected frame, along with workflows for selected links and multiple tabs.
- Open the resulting file in the Chrome environment where you intend to use it. Check images, frames, and page text. For self-extracting output, verify JavaScript is available and confirm the selected format’s local-file behavior.
SingleFile’s README lists annotations, auto-save, keyboard shortcuts, and the Ctrl+Shift+Y shortcut. Its default destination is the browser’s configured downloads folder. The Chrome Web Store listing also describes optional uploads to Google Drive, Dropbox, GitHub, or WebDAV through the options page; remote destinations are optional and should be configured only if they suit your privacy and storage requirements.
4. Which should you choose?
- New Chrome user: choose SingleFile. It is the current project that includes the self-extracting format.
- You need straightforward local opening: begin with standard HTML, then verify the saved page in the browser and system you plan to use.
- You need a compressed package or extractable resources: try SingleFile’s self-extracting format, noting its JavaScript and browser-opening caveats.
- You already use SingleFileZ: follow the repository’s directions to use the corresponding SingleFile options or import existing settings.
- You need to archive pages that an extension cannot access: browser security restrictions can prevent extensions from reading certain protected pages. The project does not promise that every page can be saved.
SingleFile documents more than saving the current tab: selected content, frames, selected links, multiple tabs, annotations, and auto-save are among its workflows. This flexibility makes it useful for deliberate page capture as well as repeated saves. It does not guarantee that every page will render identically offline: pages can depend on remote services or browser capabilities that the saved file cannot reproduce.
5. Privacy, reliability, performance, and cost
The SingleFileZ FAQ says the extension does its work in the browser and does not upload data to third-party servers. Treat that as the project’s privacy statement, not an independent audit. SingleFile’s documentation lists optional uploads to services such as Google Drive and GitHub, and the Chrome Store listing describes additional destinations. If you enable an upload destination, the page is being sent to that service under its terms and account settings.
Saving may take longer for pages with many resources or when options process hidden elements, unused styles, frames, or deferred images. The SingleFileZ FAQ says its defaults are optimized for smaller pages and that disabling some removal work can save time and CPU; disabling frame or deferred-image handling can omit content. These are qualitative project statements, not benchmark results. There are no comparative performance figures in the cited project materials.
Both extensions are free browser software in the supplied project information. The practical cost is the time and storage needed to capture and keep files, plus any third-party storage plan you choose. For important records, verify representative files and keep a backup of the resulting files; an extension cannot guarantee a source website will remain accessible or that every dynamic interaction will be preserved.
6. Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A saved self-extracting file will not open in Chrome from disk. | The format requires JavaScript, or Chrome’s local-file handling does not support that particular self-extracting file in the current setup. | Confirm JavaScript is enabled. Check whether you selected the universal self-extracting format and consult the current SingleFile format notes. For the simplest local-opening route, save as standard HTML and reopen it. |
| Some images, frames, or below-the-fold content are missing. | The page may load content later, or settings for deferred images or frames may omit it. | Review the relevant capture options and save again. Compare the saved file against the source while it is still available. |
| Saving is slow or uses substantial CPU. | The page is large, contains many resources, or options are processing/removing hidden content and unused styles. | Try adjusting removal options if those details are not needed. Avoid disabling frame or deferred-image handling when the omitted content matters. |
| The extension cannot save a page at all. | Browser security restrictions may block extension access to protected domains or pages. | Try an ordinary page that the extension can access, and check the project’s known issues and permissions guidance. Protected browser pages are not ordinary website content and may remain inaccessible. |
| The archive opens, but text is not searchable or indexable as expected. | The project notes that an option must be enabled for page text in a self-extracting document to be indexable. | Check the format options and documentation, then capture again with the relevant setting enabled. |
| Expected remote upload did not happen. | The destination may not be configured or authorized in the options page. | Review the destination setup and account authorization. Saving locally to the downloads folder is the documented default. |
7. Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is a screenshot of a page rather than a portable HTML archive, [ScreenshotNeo](https://screenshotneo.com) can return a screenshot or PDF from one API request. See the [ScreenshotNeo API documentation](https://screenshotneo.com/docs/).
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo removes cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets before the shot. Bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. A screenshot or PDF is a rendered capture, not a replacement for SingleFile’s portable HTML archive.
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8. FAQ
Is SingleFileZ still a separate extension I should install?
The project says SingleFileZ has been completely merged into SingleFile and directs users to SingleFile’s options. For a new setup, use SingleFile.
Can I extract images and other resources from a saved page?
SingleFile’s self-extracting ZIP format can be unzipped to extract resources. Standard HTML is intended as a single document and does not offer that same ZIP extraction workflow.
Will every saved page work offline on another computer?
No format guarantees that every page behaves identically everywhere. Opening depends on the selected format, browser handling, JavaScript, and the page’s dependencies. Reopen a sample in the target setup first.
Does SingleFile send my pages to a server?
The SingleFileZ FAQ says processing happens in the browser and does not upload data to third-party servers. Separate optional upload destinations are documented; enabling one sends the page to that service.
Can the extension save Chrome settings pages?
Browser security restrictions can block extensions from accessing protected pages. The project warns that some domains cannot be saved.
