We’ve all been there! When you’re casually browsing something on your iPhone or iPad, only to realize “I really need to hang on to this information for later!” Maybe it’s a fantastic recipe, an important article, or some funny memes to reference. Whatever it is, you don’t want to lose it.
The good news? Saving entire web pages as PDFs on your iOS devices is a total piece of cake. With just a few taps, you can capture and preserve online content to access anytime, with or without an internet connection.
So let’s run through the main reasons why saving webpages as PDFs is the move, then dive into three simple methods for making it happen on iPhone and iPad.
Also read: Best PDF Converter Apps For Android And iPhone
How to Save Webpage as a PDF? Simple Methods
Method 1: Screenshot + Stitch
Kicking things off with arguably the easiest way to save Webpage as PDF – by capturing a full-page screenshot. No apps or settings are required here, just follow these quick steps on your iPhone or iPad.
Step 1: Open the page you want to keep in Safari or your favorite browser. Take a screenshot by pressing the Side button + Volume Up button simultaneously.
Step 2: Tap the screenshot preview when it appears in the bottom corner. Select “Full Page” to stitch all the individual screenshots together.
Step 3: Hit the Share button and choose “Save PDF to Files“. Pick a location, give it a file name, and that’s it!
This converts your entire screen into a single PDF document, perfect for capturing visual content like graphics, memes, or recipe step-by-step photos. Since it saves the PDF as an image, it won’t be ideal if you need to edit text or tweak formatting. But for basic archiving purposes? Total life hack.
Also read: Here Are The Best PDF Editor Apps For Android And iPhone
Method 2: In-Browser Sharing
Major mobile browsers like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox have built-in PDF-sharing capabilities that create legit text-based PDF files with everything preserved. To use this method:
Step 1: With the webpage open, locate and tap the Share button (the squarish icon with the upward arrow). Tap on “Options”.
Step 2: In the share menu that pops up, select the “PDF” option and then hit “Done”.
Step 3: Choose a save location like iCloud Drive or local storage to save Webpage as PDF. Name your new PDF file and you’re all set.
Using this share sheet method rules because it generates fully machine-readable PDF documents – not just images. That means any text on the page remains selectable, searchable, and copyable. You can also annotate, edit, or markup these PDFs using any third-party apps.
Also read: How To Add Notes/Comments To PDF Document
Method 3: Next-Level Automation
For all you productivity fiends and power users out there, iOS has a dead-simple automation tool that lets you save webpages as PDFs with virtually zero effort. Just set it up once using the Shortcuts app. Here’s how to save Webpage as PDF using the Shortcuts app:
Step 1: Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. Tap on “Gallery”.
Step 2: Use the Search bar, type “Make PDF” and search for it.
Step 3: Now tap the “+” sign placed next to “Make PDF”.
Step 4: Tap on “Add shortcut”.
Step 5: Setting up the PDF shortcut is easy – it gets added to your Share Sheet on iOS 13 or later. If you’re on an older iOS, just tap “Run Shortcut” to access it. To use it, go to any website and tap the Share button. Then in the Share Sheet, scroll down and tap “Make PDF”.
Step 6: The shortcut will convert the webpage to a PDF. Once it’s done, you’ll see a preview. Tap Share again, then you can “Save to Files” to save the PDF to iCloud Drive or your local storage.
Step 7: You can also directly open the PDF in apps like Apple Books or any third-party PDF reader app you have installed, right from the Share Sheet.
That’s it! Just a couple of taps lets you easily save any webpage as a PDF to access offline or read and annotate later in a PDF app. Simple and convenient.
Running this nifty little automation means no more whipping out the share menus or fiddling with screenshots. Any webpage you open in Safari just converts itself to a PDF in the background. It’s a serious time-saving hack for heavy PDF users.
You can build out this shortcut automation even further too – like only saving from specific websites, including the date in PDF names, or appending titles. The possibilities are endless!
Also read: How to Print Text Messages from iPhone in 4 Easy Methods
Why Save Webpage as PDF? How is it Useful?
Sure, you could always bookmark stuff or leave numerous desktop tabs open to mess things up. But saving pages as PDFs has some major advantages:
- Offline Accessibility: Forget waiting for things to load or dealing with WiFi dead zones. PDFs let you quickly pull up saved sites whenever, wherever – plane, subway, you name it. It’s the ultimate content ownership hack.
- Preserving Format: When you save something online as a PDF, it captures the page layout, text, and images exactly as you see it. No more pulling up a bookmark only to find the formatting went haywire.
- Highlight/Annotate: Most PDF apps let you go wild highlighting, underlining, adding notes, and doodles directly on the file. It elevates simple reading into an engaging, productive experience.
- Easy Organization: PDFs are a breeze to store, share, and keep organized compared to dealing with bookmarks or browser histories. You can quickly build out topical folders and archives.
So in a nutshell, saving webpages as PDFs enables you to own and interact with content on your own terms – not just temporarily rent it from the internet abyss.
Also read: 3 Ways to Convert Web to PDF on iPhone and Android
Conclusion
So there you have it – three foolproof ways to save any webpage as a trusty PDF on your iPhone or iPad. Whether you’re screenshot-stitching, sharing from browsers, or automating the whole shebang, you’ve now got all the tools needed to make sure you never lose track of amazing online content again.
More importantly, you’ll have total ownership over portable, PDF docs that keep key info and inspiration at your fingertips no matter where life takes you. So go ahead and start capturing those recipes, how-to guides, and investigative articles for future reference. Your preparedness game just leveled up big time.
FAQs:
Q: Can I save just part of a webpage as a PDF, or only full pages?
The built-in screenshot method only captures full pages. But most browsers allow selecting specific page ranges to save as PDFs through the share menu. You can also use third-party apps to crop and capture selected areas.
Q: How do I edit or markup these PDFs after saving?
Any dedicated PDF app or reader will let you annotate, highlight, sign, and edit text within the files. Some good free options are PDF Expert, Liquid Text, and Foxit PDF Reader.
Q: Which saving method is best for me?
That depends on your habits! Screenshot stitching is ideal for casual, image-heavy captures. Share sheet tools are perfect for proper text-based PDFs. And automation shortcuts are awesome if you save sites as PDFs constantly.