Guide

How to Convert a Jupyter Notebook to PDF

July 5, 2026 · 4 min read

Exporting a Jupyter notebook to PDF should be one command — and sometimes it is. But the default path runs through LaTeX, which means a missing package or a stray character can turn a two-minute task into an afternoon of error messages. This guide covers the three reliable ways to get a PDF out of a .ipynb, from the LaTeX route to a no-LaTeX browser fallback.

Method 1 — nbconvert with LaTeX (the classic)

If you have a LaTeX distribution installed, nbconvert produces a beautifully typeset PDF:

jupyter nbconvert --to pdf notebook.ipynb

Or from inside the classic notebook UI: File → Download as → PDF via LaTeX (.pdf).

The catch is the dependency chain. This route needs Pandoc and a TeX installation (TeX Live, MiKTeX, or MacTeX), plus XeLaTeX. If any is missing you'll see errors like nbconvert failed: xelatex not found or complaints about a missing .sty package. Install a TeX distribution first, and the command starts working.

Method 2 — WebPDF (no LaTeX required)

If you'd rather skip TeX entirely, nbconvert can render through a headless Chromium instead:

pip install "nbconvert[webpdf]"
jupyter nbconvert --to webpdf --allow-chromium-download notebook.ipynb

This uses the browser's print engine, so you get clean output without a LaTeX install. It's the fastest fix when the LaTeX route is fighting you — the trade-off is a one-time Chromium download.

Method 3 — HTML, then print

Every Jupyter install can export HTML, and every browser can print HTML to PDF:

jupyter nbconvert --to html notebook.ipynb

Open the resulting .html file in your browser and press Ctrl/Cmd + P → Save as PDF. It's universally available and needs zero extra packages — you just get less control over margins and page breaks than the dedicated exporters.

Method 4 — the Markdown route (for the write-up, not the code output)

Sometimes you don't need the executed cells and plots — you need a clean document built from the notebook's Markdown cells (the narrative, headings, tables, and equations). Convert the notebook to Markdown, then to PDF:

jupyter nbconvert --to markdown notebook.ipynb

That gives you a .md file. Paste it into a browser converter like ConvertMDapp, preview it live, and click Export PDF. You get selectable text, clean typography, and a small file — ideal for a report or a shareable summary where the raw code cells would just be noise. It runs entirely in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.

This is also the most portable option: no LaTeX, no Chromium download, works on any machine including one where you can't install packages.

Which method fits?

You want…	Use
Typeset, publication-quality output	Method 1 (LaTeX)
A PDF now, without installing TeX	Method 2 (WebPDF)
Zero extra packages	Method 3 (HTML → print)
A clean write-up from the Markdown cells	Method 4 (Markdown → convert)

Fixing the common LaTeX errors

xelatex not found — install a TeX distribution (MacTeX, MiKTeX, or TeX Live) and reopen your terminal.
Missing .sty package — with MiKTeX, allow on-the-fly package installs; with TeX Live, run tlmgr install <package>.
A cell with a special character breaks the build — the LaTeX engine chokes on some Unicode. Switch to --to webpdf, which doesn't care.
Emoji or non-Latin text vanishes — XeLaTeX needs a font that includes those glyphs; WebPDF or the Markdown route handles them out of the box.

FAQ

Why does jupyter nbconvert --to pdf fail? Almost always because the LaTeX toolchain isn't fully installed. It needs Pandoc plus a TeX distribution with XeLaTeX. Install one, or switch to --to webpdf to avoid LaTeX altogether.

How do I convert a notebook to PDF without installing LaTeX? Use jupyter nbconvert --to webpdf (renders via headless Chromium), or export to HTML and print to PDF from your browser. For just the write-up, convert to Markdown and use a browser converter.

Can I export only the Markdown cells to PDF? Yes — run jupyter nbconvert --to markdown notebook.ipynb, then convert that .md file to PDF. For the fundamentals, see the guide to converting Markdown to PDF and the Pandoc walkthrough.