Export to PDF

resume.lol uses your browser's print functionality to create PDF files, ensuring your resume looks exactly as you designed it.

How to Export

Step 1: Open Print Dialog

In the editor, click the Print button in the toolbar, or use your browser's print command:

  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + P
  • Mac: Cmd + P

This opens a print window, paginates the resume, then shows your browser's print dialog. Keep that window open until you save — closing it early can drop clickable links from the PDF, especially on Windows.

Step 2: Save as PDF

In the print dialog:

  1. Change the destination/printer to "Save as PDF" (Chrome / Edge / Brave). Do not choose Microsoft Print to PDF — that Windows printer rasterizes the page and removes links.
  2. Verify the preview looks correct
  3. Click Save or Print
  4. Choose a filename and location

The print window closes after the dialog finishes so Chrome can attach hyperlink annotations first.

Browser-Specific Instructions

Chrome / Edge / Brave

  1. Click Print in the editor
  2. Under "Destination", select Save as PDF (not Microsoft Print to PDF)
  3. Click "Save"

Firefox

  1. Click Print in the editor
  2. In the printer dropdown, select "Save to PDF"
  3. Click "Save"

Safari (Mac)

  1. Click Print in the editor
  2. Click the "PDF" dropdown in the bottom-left
  3. Select "Save as PDF"
  4. Choose location and save

Print Settings to Check

Before saving, verify these settings in the print dialog:

  • Margins: Set to "None" or "Minimum" (your CSS handles margins)
  • Headers and footers: Turn OFF (remove page numbers, dates, URLs)
  • Background graphics: Turn ON if your CSS uses backgrounds
  • Scale: 100% (do not scale)
  • Pages: Usually "All" (should be 1-2 pages for a resume)

Troubleshooting

Content is Cut Off

If content is cut off at page boundaries:

  • Check your margins in the Settings tab
  • Make sure print dialog margins are set to "None"
  • Add page-break-inside: avoid to elements in your CSS

Wrong Page Size

If the page size looks wrong:

  • Verify the @page size in your Settings tab
  • Make sure it matches your target (letter vs A4)
  • Some browsers may need you to select paper size in print dialog

Colors Look Different

Colors may render differently in PDF:

  • Make sure "Background graphics" is enabled in print settings
  • Test printing from different browsers
  • Consider using simpler color schemes for better compatibility

Fonts Look Different

If fonts don't look right in the PDF:

  • Make sure you're using web-safe or imported Google Fonts
  • Wait a moment after opening print window for fonts to load
  • Try exporting again if fonts didn't load initially

Links Are Not Clickable

PDFs only keep hyperlinks when the browser writes them as annotations:

  • Use Chrome or Edge Save as PDF. Microsoft Print to PDF and many other “print to PDF” drivers produce a flat, non-interactive file.
  • Leave the print window open until you save. Closing it as soon as the dialog appears can drop links on Windows.
  • Write links as Markdown [label](https://example.com) (or mailto: / tel:). Protocol-less destinations like mysite.com are upgraded to https:// automatically.

Alternative: Download as ZIP

You can also download your resume source files as a ZIP:

  1. Click the download button in the editor toolbar
  2. You'll get a ZIP file containing:
    • resume.md - Your Markdown content
    • resume.css - Your styles
    • settings.css - Your page settings

This is useful for:

  • Backing up your resume locally
  • Version control with Git
  • Sharing source files with others
  • Using the files in other tools

Tips for Best Results

  • Always preview your resume before exporting
  • Keep your resume to 1-2 pages maximum
  • Test the PDF on different devices to ensure it looks good everywhere
  • Name your PDF professionally: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
  • Save multiple versions if you customize your resume for different jobs
  • Use variables to quickly switch between public and private versions, and export both if needed

File Size

Resume PDFs should typically be:

  • Text-only: 50-200 KB
  • With custom fonts: 200-500 KB

If your PDF is larger than 1 MB, consider:

  • Using fewer custom fonts
  • Removing or optimizing any images
  • Simplifying decorative elements

ATS Compatibility

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan resumes. For best compatibility:

  • Use standard fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, or Google Fonts)
  • Avoid tables, text boxes, or complex layouts
  • Use simple, clean formatting
  • Stick to black text on white background
  • The Markdown-to-HTML structure used by resume.lol is ATS-friendly

Your PDF will be searchable and readable by both humans and ATS software.