Make a PDF of a Web Page

There are many times when it may be useful to have an archived copy of a web page as a PDF file. For example, if you are uploading your syllabus to the Academic Deans and wish to capture your Moodle course outline as a PDF file.

Mac Users

This should be a straightforward process since Mac has the capability to create PDF files as part of the operating system. From any application on your Macintosh - in this case, your web browser - you may go to File > Print or click on the printer icon showing in an application's taskbar to bring up a print dialog box through which you may save a web page or document as a PDF file.

Printing to PDF (on a Mac)

1. Open the web page, such as your Moodle site, in a web browser.
2. From the File pull-down menu, select Print. This should bring up a print dialog box.
3. On the lower left-hand corner of the print dialog box, there is a PDF button, click it and select "Save as PDF". This will bring up another dialog box that will ask you a file name and location to save the PDF file.
4. Select a file name and location and click on "Save". You now have a PDF file of your current Moodle front page that you can email and share.

Windows Users

To create a PDF of a web page on a PC, take a look in your web browser to see if you already have tools installed. You may have a "Create PDF" button in the toolbar or an export feature under the File menu. Otherwise, choose "Print" from the File menu, and see if you can change the name of the printer to "Adobe PDF" or "PDF Creator."

If none of those options are available, you'll need to install new software so that you can "print to PDF." This is a bit more complex because you'll need to download and install third-party software. Once installed, creating a PDF is very easy.

Free PDF writers for the PC:

• CutePDF Writer
• PDFcreator

Printing to PDF (on a PC)

1. Open the desired web page in your web browser.
2. From the File pull-down menu, select Print. This should bring up a print dialog box.
3. Change the printer to either "Adobe PDF," "Cute PDF Writer," or "PDF Creator" depending on which software you have installed. Then click the Print button. This will bring up another dialog box that will ask you a file name and location to save the PDF file.
4. Select a file name and location and click on "Save". You now have a PDF file of your current Moodle front page that you can email and share.