Free online HTM to PDF converter

PDF may be required by a submission system, document viewer, printer, or archive that does not accept an HTML page. Converting an .htm file also produces a fixed-layout copy that is easier to share, print, and preserve.

What the HTM format is

.htm is a filename extension for HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the markup language used to structure web pages and local documents. An HTM file can contain headings, paragraphs, tables, links, images, forms, stylesheets, and scripts. Browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari open HTM files; website editors, documentation systems, office software, and legacy help systems can create them.

Images, CSS, JavaScript, and fonts may be stored in a separate resource folder or loaded from the internet. Keep an HTM file with its associated folders when opening or converting a saved web page, or images and formatting may be missing.

What the PDF format is

PDF (Portable Document Format) stores pages with defined dimensions, positioned text and graphics, fonts, and printable content. Its fixed page layout makes it suitable for forms, invoices, applications, records, distribution, and archiving across operating systems.

PDF does not preserve every HTML behavior. JavaScript, animation, editable web forms, responsive layouts, and some embedded media may become static, change appearance, or disappear during printing.

How to convert HTM to PDF in a browser

1. Open the .htm file in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or another current browser. If the page is incomplete, place the HTM file beside its associated resource folder and reopen it.
2. Choose Print, or press Ctrl+P on Windows or Linux, or Command+P on macOS.
3. Select Save as PDF. On Windows, Microsoft Print to PDF is another built-in option.
4. Set the paper size, orientation, scale, margins, page range, and header or footer options. Enable Background graphics when colored backgrounds or background images are required.
5. Choose Save, enter a filename ending in .pdf, and inspect the pages, links, images, and page breaks.

Files can also be converted on 101convert.com for free without installing software.

Automated conversion with Chromium

For repeatable local conversions, Chromium or Google Chrome can print an HTM file from the command line:

google-chrome --headless --disable-gpu --print-to-pdf=output.pdf file:///absolute/path/document.htm

Use the full browser executable path if google-chrome is not in the system PATH. The file:/// URL must point to an absolute path; quote paths containing spaces according to the shell being used. Chromium applies print rendering and print CSS, so page size, margins, and scaling affect the result. Pages that depend on JavaScript may require an interactive browser or automation that waits for content to finish loading.

Conversion with LibreOffice

1. Open the HTM file in LibreOffice Writer through File → Open.
2. Check the imported text, tables, images, and page breaks.
3. Choose File → Export as PDF, then select the output location and export.

LibreOffice is useful for document-like HTML, but a browser generally reproduces web-specific CSS more accurately. Adobe Acrobat Pro can create PDFs from some HTML sources, but browser printing is usually the more direct method for an existing local HTM page.

Quality and compatibility limits

• Print CSS: Rules inside @media print can hide navigation or change the layout. Browser print settings can also add margins or scale content.
• External resources: Missing images, web fonts, stylesheets, or scripts produce incomplete output. Save dependencies locally or ensure the browser can access them before conversion.
• Pagination: Long tables, wide elements, fixed-position objects, and responsive layouts can split badly. Use landscape orientation, adjust scale, or revise the HTML with print rules such as break-inside: avoid.
• Fonts: An unavailable font is substituted, changing line wrapping and page count. Install or embed the required font when licensing permits.
• Interactivity: Printing normally captures the rendered appearance, not live scripts, animation, editable controls, or dynamically changing data.
• Security: Untrusted HTM files can load remote resources or execute scripts when opened in a browser. Use a restricted environment for files from unknown sources.