How to Save a Web Page as a PDF on iPhone or iPad
Question details
The user wants to convert a web page into a PDF document on an iOS device but cannot find the 'Save as PDF' option in the Acrobat Reader share menu.
- Product
- Safari
- Device & OS
- iOS / iPadOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to save a webpage for offline reading or sharing as a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The 'Save as PDF' option is missing from the Acrobat Reader Share menu after an app update, preventing the user from generating a PDF.
Ensure your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 11 or later, as Apple integrated native PDF creation directly into the Safari browser starting with this version.
Use Safari's Native PDF Creation Feature
Instead of relying on third-party extensions, use the built-in iOS Share sheet in Safari to generate your PDF.
On modern iOS devices, Apple has shifted the responsibility of creating PDFs from web pages away from third-party apps like Acrobat Reader. The Safari browser now natively handles this process, providing a faster and more seamless experience.
Launch the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad and navigate to the web page you wish to save as a PDF.
Tap the 'Share' icon located at the bottom of the screen on an iPhone, or at the top right on an iPad. The icon looks like a square with an arrow pointing upward.
Scroll through the available actions provided in the Share sheet. Find and tap 'Create PDF' or 'Markup'. If the option is not immediately visible, scroll to the right or tap 'Options' at the top of the Share sheet to select the PDF format.
Once the PDF preview appears, tap 'Done' in the upper-left corner and select 'Save File To...' to choose a destination in your device's Files app or iCloud Drive.
Edit and Manage Your Saved PDFs with WPS Office
After saving your web page as a PDF from Safari, use WPS Office to effortlessly view, edit, annotate, and manage your PDF documents directly on your iPhone or iPad.
- 1. Download the App: Install WPS Office for free from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
- 2. Locate Your PDF: Open WPS Office, navigate to the 'Files' tab, and browse your device folders to find the PDF you just saved from Safari.
- 3. Open and View: Tap the PDF file to open it in WPS Office's high-speed mobile PDF viewer.
- 4. Annotate and Edit: Use the bottom toolbar to access PDF tools. Tap 'Edit' or 'Annotate' to highlight important text from the web page or add your own notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'Save as PDF' option missing in Acrobat Reader on iOS?
Following updates to iOS (specifically iOS 11 and later), Apple integrated native PDF creation directly into Safari. This made the Acrobat Reader share menu extension redundant for converting web pages, leading to its removal or deprecation in the share sheet for this specific task.
Where are my PDFs saved when created in Safari?
When you use the 'Save to Files' option after creating a PDF in Safari, you can choose the destination. By default, they are usually saved in your 'Downloads' folder within the native Apple 'Files' app, either locally on 'My iPhone/iPad' or in iCloud Drive.
What if I still don't see the 'Create PDF' option in the Safari Share menu?
If 'Create PDF' is not visible, tap 'Options' right below the web page title at the very top of the Share sheet. Select 'PDF' from the list, tap 'Back', and then select 'Save to Files'.
Can I edit the PDF after saving it from Safari?
Yes. Once the web page is saved as a PDF to your Files app, you can open it with a dedicated PDF editor like WPS Office to highlight text, draw annotations, or add signatures.
