How to add a Save as PDF button to Zendesk help center articles
By Jake Marsh · Updated
To add a Save as PDF button to your Zendesk help center articles, open Tomewell, go to Theme button and copy its two snippets: the HTML goes in article_page.hbs under the article title, and the CSS goes at the end of style.css. Paste them through Customize design > your theme > Customize > Edit code in Knowledge admin, preview, then publish. Readers get a button that opens a clean print layout of that one article.
What the button does
- Shows a Save as PDF button under the article title, in your brand color.
- Opens the reader's print dialog with a clean layout of that article. From there they save it as a PDF or print it.
- Hides your help center's navigation in the printout, so the page is the article and nothing else.
- Optionally shows a link to the full manual, if you paste the address of a manual you published from Tomewell.
Steps
- Open Tomewell from the left navigation bar in Zendesk Support.
- Open Theme button. Tomewell shows two snippets.
- Optional: add the manual link. If you've published a manual (Build tab > Publish), paste its address so the HTML snippet includes a link to it.
- Copy the HTML snippet.
- Open your theme's code. In Knowledge admin, click the Customize design icon, pick your theme, click Customize, then Edit code. Work on a copy of the live theme rather than the live one; Zendesk explains why in Editing the code for your live help center theme.
- Paste the HTML into
article_page.hbs, under the article title. - Copy the CSS snippet and paste it at the end of
style.css. - Preview an article. Click the button and check the print layout.
- Publish the theme copy when you're happy.
What goes where
| Snippet | File | Placement | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTML | article_page.hbs | Under the article title | The Save as PDF button and, if you pasted an address, the full manual link |
| CSS | style.css | At the end | The button in your brand color and a print layout that hides navigation |
One article versus the whole manual
| Save as PDF button | Tomewell manual | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | The reader, from any article | You, in Zendesk |
| Contents | One article | The categories, sections and articles you choose |
| Cover, contents, page numbers | No | Yes |
| Links between articles | Open the live help center | Jump inside the PDF |
| Languages | The article's language | One PDF per language you tick |
You can use both: the button for readers who want one page, and a link next to it for the full manual.
Remove the button later
Edit the theme code again and delete the two blocks marked "Tomewell" in article_page.hbs and style.css. Then publish.
What it costs
Tomewell is $79 per month per Zendesk account on Single brand (one brand's help center) or $149 per month on Multi-brand (every brand), billed monthly by Zendesk. Both plans have every feature and a 14-day free trial; Zendesk asks for a card. The Tomewell documentation covers every option.
Tomewell
Help center PDF manuals, branded, with contents and page numbers. 14-day trial, then $79/mo. From $79 a month per Zendesk account.
Questions
Can readers download a help center article as a PDF?
Yes, once the button is in your theme. It opens their print dialog with a clean layout, and they choose Save as PDF there.
Does the button work on every theme?
It's two snippets you paste into your theme's code, so it works where you can edit article_page.hbs and style.css. Zendesk allows theme code edits on Suite Growth and up, or Knowledge Professional and Enterprise. Edit a copy of the live theme and preview before publishing.
Do I have to publish a manual to use the button?
No. The manual link is optional. Leave the address empty and the snippet adds only the button.
Does the button send article content anywhere?
No. It uses the reader's own browser print dialog. Tomewell has no server.
Can I change the button's color?
The snippet uses the brand color saved with Use this logo and colors for new manuals in Tomewell's Design settings. Change and save that color, then copy the snippet again.
More Tomewell guides
- How to export internal and draft Zendesk articles to PDF
- How to publish a PDF manual in your Zendesk help center
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- How to cancel or pause a Stripe subscription from Zendesk (Tillwell)
- How to create a BigCommerce API account for Zendesk (Trolleywell for BigCommerce)
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