You need the page in front of you on paper, or as a file you can read offline and pass on to someone else. Both outputs come from the same Safari window you already have open, and neither one needs an extra app.
File > Print sends the page to a printer and lets you set paper size, orientation, margins, and scale. File > Export as PDF saves the full webpage as one continuous document instead.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Print the Page You Have Open in Safari on Mac
You have a page open and you need it on paper. Safari’s print dialog gets it there, and it is also where you set paper size, orientation, margins, and scale to match what comes out of the printer.
If you prefer the keyboard, + opens the same dialog.
- Open the webpage in Safari and let it finish loading.
- Select File in the macOS menu bar.
- Select Print… from the File menu.
- In the print dialog, choose the destination printer.
- Adjust the paper size, orientation, margins, and scale to match your needs.
- Click .
You’ll know it worked when the printer starts the job and the pages come out with the layout you chose.
Export the Page as a PDF in Safari on Mac
Paper is not always the right output. Sometimes you want a file you can read offline, or one you can send to someone who should not need the original link. That is what Export as PDF is for, and it never touches a printer.
- Open the webpage in Safari and let it finish loading.
- Select File in the macOS menu bar.
- Select Export as PDF from the File menu.
- Enter a name for the PDF.
- Choose the folder where you want to save the file.
- Click .
You’ll know it worked when you open the saved file and the whole page sits in one continuous document instead of broken into pages.
If the link alone is enough, you can share the website link externally from Safari instead of making a file at all.
Export as PDF offers no paper size, margin, or scale controls. If the PDF has to match a specific page layout, go through the print dialog and use Save as PDF instead.
Choose Between Export as PDF and Save as PDF
These two commands produce different files, and the difference shows the moment you open the PDF. One follows the webpage, the other follows your print settings.
- Export as PDF saves the full webpage as one continuous document and skips print-style pagination.
- Save as PDF in the print dialog builds a page-by-page file that follows your paper size, margin, and scale choices.
Reach for Export as PDF when you want a single scrollable document. Use Save as PDF when the file has to look like separate printed pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most follow-up questions about printing and saving pages come down to where the file goes and what ends up inside it.
How do I print a webpage in Safari on a Mac?
Open the webpage, then choose File > Print…, or press + . The printer you select and the layout settings you pick decide what comes out.
Can I save a Safari webpage as a PDF instead of printing it?
Yes. The direct command is File > Export as PDF. Safari opens a save dialog where you name the file and choose its location before clicking .
Does Export as PDF capture the whole webpage?
Yes. Safari’s Export as PDF command saves the full webpage as one continuous document rather than dividing it into print-style pages.
What is the difference between Export as PDF and Save as PDF?
Export as PDF creates one continuous webpage document. Save as PDF in the print dialog follows your paper layout and produces separate pages.
Where is the PDF saved after export?
Safari asks where to put the file before it writes anything. Name the PDF, pick a folder, click , and the file lands in that folder, ready to open or share.
So there are your two routes: one sends the page to a printer, the other saves it as a file you can keep. Neither needs an extension or a separate app.
I’m using Safari for Mac Version 14 and the export to pdf command produces a document with no page breaks. If I use Print and Save As PDF I get page breaks. Is this normal?
Hello Jeff, that’s normal. The print and save as PDF will consider the site formatting that’s possibly different than the original export to PDF without any formatting.