Wishing you had a hard copy of our latest blog post? Better yet, how about a compact PDF to save on your computer or to print out? Get ready, because I’m about to show you how easy it is to do that.
This information will empower you to not only save blog posts on our site, but on any other site as well. Imagine how convenient it will be to save information anywhere on the web to your computer in an easy-to-access PDF format! Check out the three options below:
PRINTFRIENDLY.com
Option 1 Create a PDF on the PrintFriendly website
- Copy the URL of the webpage you’d like to create a PDF of.
- Go to www.PrintFriendly.com.
- Paste the URL into the URL field and click Print Preview.
A preview will be generated that removes only the unnecessary images on the web page, e.g. the header, side bar, comments, etc., but the images in the post remain.
- At the top, click on one of the options: Print, PDF, or Email.
- Easy Peasy.
Option 2 Create a PDF with your browser
You don’t have to go to the PrintFriendly website to create a PDF. You can do it in your own browser, making it even faster and simpler. Click the link below to get step-by-step instructions on how to do this for your specific browser.
Click here to get Instructions for YOUR Browser
Directly within CHROME
- Choose File > Print.
- In the dialog box, choose Destination > Change.
- In the next dialog box, choose Local Destinations > Save As PDF. (This option will include all the images and text on the entire web page.)
Directly within FIREFOX and SAFARI
- Choose File > Print.
- In the dialog box, choose PDF > Save As PDF. (This option will include all the images and text on the entire web page.)
Note: As much as I love you, I cannot be your IT or computer guy. If the computer questions you seek cannot be found here, please try researching it yourself on the internet. If that is unsuccessful, contact your local computer expert.
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Author: Jen White | jen@digitalscrapper.com
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32 Responses
Gail
You are awesome Jen!!!
miniloudon
I tried to convert the blog to a PDF; it worked for me once out of 5 tries. I enabled all cookies on my browser but it still says second party cookies are being blocked. Maybe this is what I get for using AOL and IE. I really liked the blog when it was easy to save. I am with those few people who really appreciated it when you converted the blog to a PDF. And I still appreciate the great free info. I can do a workaround converting from word to PDF; it’s just a little bit harder. Any chance of giving Premier members the PDF version?
Jen White
Sorry to hear that. Have you tried using a different browser?
Linda Sattgast
One thing I would recommend is that you simply install a second browser on your computer. (I have three installed.) In the web world, Internet Explorer is famous for being behind the times and outdated. (sorry!) It never hurts to have more than one browser. I use Safari, but Chrome is a good one that many people use.
Mungo
Thanks very much for this link, I have been using the copy/paste method – this is so much quicker
CrimsonCrow
ThankyouThankyouThank you for sharing about the PRINTFRIENDLY.com website! I have been making my own PDFs (copy, cut, past, edit, resize, etc.) of your blog posts and it was tedious and time consuming. This is a breeze!
I feel for the folks who don’t understand or are having trouble making it work. I wish I could sit by their side and offer help!
Luisa (ouisiekelly)
Very cool! Worked without a hitch.
Thanks a lot.
Mary Kuhn
I am like all others who are unable to figure this out on IE. I have been here trying since 5.00am, it is now 7.45am and I know I am not getting anywhere, “YIKES!” Yes Jen in your words – What’s a girl to do???
So I Right click, highlight and print. Now back to using all that paper 16 pages. I tried to correlate the pages 2-10 and my IE says use single # like 5-12 go figure?
I really don’t want to introduce this new program since my computer is now stable since my crash last summer and HP having to rebuild it. But it was so easy to click the PDF button on your sight and print what we needed. Thanks anyway for the opportunity to be tech savvy. I love everything I am getting from my premier membership.
Linda Sattgast
Mary, if you save as a PDF without all the extra web images, as explained above, you can view the instructions on your computer instead of printing everything out. You might save a tree or two. 😀
With your program and the PDF both open, simply click on the icon in the Task Bar to switch to the PDF to read the next instruction, then click on the icon to switch back to your program and do that step. Easy Peasy!
Sue
Hi Linda,
I’m assuming you have changed your procedure for a reason, but just for my vote – I much prefer what you used to do: Have a simple button at the bottom of the lesson saying PDF.
One click and I have a PDF format to save to my files. Although this way does work. it’s far more bothersome and I forget how to do it every time and have to come here to re-read the directions. Also, this way, I have to edit it to avoid all the comments and a 16 page file. More work than needed. Sorry. Love your tutorials, just not a fan of this new method of saving them.
Your staff is great though.
Linda Sattgast
If you use PrintFriendly.com you don’t have to edit anything. All the comments, side bar, and header information is instantly removed. You don’t have to edit anything else unless you want to.
There’s nothing to “do” if you use PrintFriendly.com. Put a link to their site in your bookmarks bar or put the PrintFriendly instant access “button” in your bookmarks bar. Then one click and you instantly have a web page without all the extra peripheral “stuff.” Choose the PDF option and you’ll be given a button you can click to instantly download the PDF. It took me all of 18 seconds the last time I did it. (I timed it.)
The advantage is that now you are empowered EVERYWHERE on the web to create PDF pages of ANYTHING you want to keep. (Including tutorials from other sites.) That’s a skill you’ll probably use way more often than anything else I teach… 😀
Sally R
I think this is great.I used Firefox and had no problem.
Alida
Wow, I love this. I have often wondered how to create a PDF, and here it is. The Ombre Banner Tutorial is great, and Jenifer, your layout is just gorgeous. Thank you!
Lynne
Another option for Firfox users is PrimoPDF free. I have used it for years. Your can hi-light anything on the web and print to Primo PDF using the ‘file’> print and checking ‘selection’. You can also drag files on your computer to the PrimoPDF Drop Files function, a button located on the desktop. A neat litte bit of freeware!
Linda Sattgast
Sounds like a great option—thanks for sharing!
lindar
I have Windows 8.1 and used Internet Explorer. PDF seems fine to me and is very quick. I will be using this.
makeyesup
I couldn’t get this to work with my HP printer, so I guess I’ll use my .pdf driver to get these now. Did prefer the former way as it was easier to just save the file without all the excess stuff on the pages. Thanks for supplying all these great tutorials.
Linda Sattgast
These instructions aren’t so much for printing, but for saving as a PDF. Even if you use the PDF option above that deletes all the extraneous material, you’ll get more pages, but if you view the PDF on your computer, rather than printing, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Lainey8
Well, I am sorry to say that I CANNOT do it, My Browser is “internet Explorer 11” and my PRINTER is very OLD.
When I use a diferent Browser, I usually get BUGS, so…
Why can’t we have the CHOICE for the “old” PDF???
I’m a little disapointed,sorry about that 🙁
Thank you and Blessings:)
Jen White
Hi Lainey. Other IE users have not had a problem (only 10% of the worlds population uses IE) and this technique has nothing to do with your printer. In fact, you don’t even have to have a printer installed for it to work. I hope you have tried the PrintFriendly.com option that we have listed here. It’s a great tool.
Since we are already offering you a FREE tutorial (at our expense, and not cheap), I don’t think it’s too much to ask for you to create your own PDF.
Hope this all works out for you! 😀
Kimm
Another option: CutePDF Writer is free software for Windows machines. Once installed, it shows up as one of your available “printers” in the PRINT menu of your applications (browsers included). Clicking the PRINT button with CutePDF selected will open a Save-As dialog box for you to complete as desired.
Michele Kendzie
Aw, bummer. I already knew how to do this but I prefer the downloadable PDFs you used to provide. Now, creating the PDF ourselves, we’ll get all the ads and unnecessary stuff.
Linda Sattgast
PrintFriendly eliminates all the ads and lets you remove additional images or text from the post, if you wish. It’s fast and easy!
Judy Lloyd
I agree with you, Michele. Although I love learning something new, this just adds another step to the process. I like the old way better, too.
Dolores
Thanks, it perfectly with my epson worforce 635.
Lana Anderson
I did find out that if you save the blog post to MS OneNote, then you can export the selected pages to a PDF or Word doc. Not as easy as your instructions, but will work for those of us who can’t save a PDF directly from the blog as per the instructions.
DorrieH.
Jen, First I want to thank you for posting on how to create a PDF from the Blog, however it seems that your Espon Printer has different functions than my Epson WorkForce 630, as there isn’t any PDF function available. I have found another way however to turn the Blog Tutorial into a PDF. I just highlight the entire tutorial and then paste it into M/S Word (I have ver.2007). Once it is in Word it can be published as a PDF. Very easy to do.
Note: M/S Word much be opened prior to making the highlighted copy.
Jen White
Thanks for you insight, Dorrie! Always good to have you chime in. 😀
The type of printer you have shouldn’t make any difference.
It depends on whether you have Mac or Windows and what browser you use.
Also, the version of your browser can play a big part.
Apparently I need to get my Windows ducks in a row! 😀
Mac users shouldn’t have any problems.
DorrieH.
Jen, I’m using Firefox 32.0.3, which I believe is the latest version, as I always use FireFox and it updates regularly. I tried using the menu at the top left of the page and also from the settings icon at the top right and neither one worked for me. hummmm?
Jen White
Yep. I think you are right on, Dorrie.
We could get Chrome (in Windows) to create a PDF, but not Firefox.
I will look into it as soon as I can. xoxo
DorrieH.
Jen, Yes, Chrome works, but it’s not as nice a PDF as copying to M/S Word, IMHO 🙂
I also have Chrome on my computer. Just being a little picky aren’t I. Sorry.
Jen White
No, you are not being picky at all. We all have our favorite browser.
And yes, you are right in saying that the PDF the browsers produce is not nearly as nice as one that’s been handcrafted.
Sounds like you and I are alike… we’d just rather do it ourselves anyway!!