Wikipedia is a website that's a treasure trove of information. You may want to save some pages as PDFs so you can view them even when you don't have an internet connection. Also, viewing the article with a PDF reader is a much more pleasant experience than reading it on a web browser. It's wise to do this, especially when doing research. But is it possible to convert Wikipedia to PDF?
The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, there are different methods for doing this. You can use these methods instead of typing the Wikipedia content into a blank PDF or using screenshots to make a PD.
In this article, we will cover the best ways to download a Wikipedia page as a PDF. These methods are guaranteed to work. Continue reading to learn about these methods, as well as the reasons why you should save Wikipedia pages and more.
In this article
Why Should You Consider Converting Wikipedia to PDF?
There are plenty of reasons why converting Wikipedia pages into PDFs is a great idea. The PDF file format is simply superior to a webpage. Let's take a deep dive to understand more about this.
Advantages of PDF Format
PDFs and Wikipedia pages have something in common. They are both made to present information. But if you can, you should convert the pages into PDFs. Here are some of the reasons why:
- PDFs are available offline - Wikipedia is a website. Thus, you need an internet connection to view its content. On the other hand, you can download PDFs to your computer. That said, PDFs have better availability.
- PDFs are easier to read - PDF readers allow you to view PDF files easily. You can even change the font styles, sizes, and colors. Therefore, PDFs also have better accessibility.
- You can annotate PDFs more easily - PDF solutions offer annotating features and commenting features. You can use these to highlight important information or add notes for corrections.
- PDFs are editable - Suppose you are making a presentation, and you are using Wikipedia as the data source. Instead of opening a web browser tab and a PDF program, you can download the Wikipedia page as a PDF. Then, use a PDF editor to edit its content. That way, you'll only have one tab - the PDF editor - open. It can help your computer's performance.
Why Choose Wikipedia as a Source of Data?
There is a big question when doing research. Should you use Wikipedia as a source of data? It is quite controversial. For instance, many institutions will not let you list Wikipedia as a data source when submitting research papers. But it contains lots of facts, and it is a trustable website. Here are the reasons why you should use Wikipedia.
- Collaborative editing: As an open-source platform, Wikipedia allows anyone to contribute and edit content. This results in a diverse and comprehensive collection of information from various perspectives and sources.
- Wide coverage: Wikipedia covers many topics, including history, science, arts, and culture. The site is available in over 300 languages, making it a truly global resource. Whatever information you may need, Wikipedia for sure has it.
- Regular updates: Wikipedia content is frequently updated by its editors. Thus, it is one of the most up-to-date sources of information available online. When new information about a subject becomes known, it will be quickly put on the site. So, Wikipedia can keep you up to speed with everything.
- Citations: Wikipedia encourages its editors to cite reliable sources when adding information to its pages. This means that most articles on Wikipedia are supported by credible sources, making it a trustworthy source of information.
Please note that Wikipedia is not infallible. Again, its content is from various people collaborating on the article. So you can never be too sure that Wikipedia articles contain only facts. That is where Wikipedia's questionability as a data source comes from. And so, you should always verify its content by cross-referencing with other sources.
So we have established that you can trust Wikipedia as long as you verify its content. Also, we have established that it is better to save Wikipedia pages as PDFs. Now, it is time to learn how to convert Wikipedia pages to PDFs.
3 Ways for Converting Wikipedia to PDF
Here are the three foolproof methods for converting Wikipedia pages to PDFs.
A. Download Wikipedia as a PDF
Wikipedia actually gives you the option to download the article as a PDF - a testament that it's wise to do. The process is very simple, too. It only takes a few clicks, and you'll have the PDF version saved on your computer.
Here's how to do it.
Step1
Open Wikipedia's website using a web browser.
Step2
Search the article that you want to save as a PDF using Wikipedia's search bar.
Step3
Click the hamburger button (three lines stacked on top of each other) at the top left of the page.
Step4
Under "Print/Export," click Download as PDF.
Step5
You will be transported to a new page with the download link for the article. Click the Download button.
B. Download Wikipedia Using Book Creator
Suppose you want to download more than one article at once, and you want them all to be in the same PDF. You can use Wikipedia's Book Creator. It allows you to compile multiple Wikipedia articles into one eBook. The supported eBook formats are PDF and ODT.
These are the steps for using Wikipedia's Book Creator.
Step1
Open one of the Wikipedia articles that you want to download.
Step2
Under Print/Export, in the left sidebar, select Create a book.
Step3
You will be transported to the Book Creator page. Click Start book creator.
Step4
Wikipedia will bring you back to the article you were previously on. However, there will be a Book creator bar at the top. Click Add this page to your book. Go to the other Wikipedia articles that you want to download next and add them to your book.
Step5
Optionally, you can hover over links in an article. An "Add linked wiki page to your book" button will appear. Click it to add the linked article to your book without opening the page.
Step6
Click Show Book at the Book creator bar once you have added all the pages that you want to download.
Step7
Sort the articles the way you want.
Step8
In the Download box, set the Format to PDF. Then, click the Download button.
C. Using Wikipedia to PDF Converter Online
Suppose you don't like the output from Wikipedia's provided PDF converter. You can use third-party tools instead. There are websites that allow you to convert Wikipedia pages into PDFs. One of them is Free File Convert. As the name suggests, it is a free tool, so you still don't have to spend money.
Here is how you can convert Wikipedia to PDF using the said tool.
Step 1: Open a web browser, and go to https://www.freefileconvert.com/wiki-pdf.
Step2
Switch to the URL tab.
Step3
Open another web browser tab, and find the Wikipedia article that you want to convert to PDF.
Step4
Copy the Wikipedia page's URL.
Step5
Paste the URL in the File URL field in Free File Convert.
Step6
On the Output format field, select PDF.
Step7
Click "Convert."
Customizing PDF with PDFelement
Suppose you have successfully downloaded the Wikipedia page as a PDF. What should you do next? You can use PDF editors like Wondershare PDFelement to add the necessary changes to the PDF. Using this tool, you can add notes or edit the text and images.
While reading the PDF with PDFelement, some information may catch your attention and trigger your curiosity. Here's some great news. You don't need to open a web browser to research that subject. PDFelement has a built-in Wikipedia search feature! It makes things convenient.
Follow these steps to customize your PDF using PDFelement.
Step1
Download, install, and launch Wondershare PDFelement.
Step2
Click "Edit PDF" or "Open PDF." Select the Wikipedia page that you converted to PDF.
Step3
Click "Edit All". You can then edit the text, links, and images on the PDF. Edit as needed.
Step4
Click "Comment". Choose a tool to use from the toolbar. You can highlight text or areas, add notes, or freehand draw on the PDF.
Step5
Click "File" > "Save" to save the edits on the PDF.
The Built-in Wikipedia in PDFelement
PDFelement is a popular PDF editing software that offers a built-in Wikipedia feature. This feature allows users to access information from Wikipedia directly within the PDF document they are working on, without having to switch between different applications or windows. Here's how to use the built-in Wikipedia feature in PDFelement:
Step1
Click "Wikipedia" under the Home tab and enter a keyword in the search bar. Click "Search" or press Enter.
Step2
Click "GoLink" to open the search result page in your browser.
Step3
In PDFelement, select text to search in Wikipedia. Click the "Wikipedia" icon in the pop-up floating bar.
Step4
View the search result in the Wikipedia window.
Using the built-in Wikipedia feature in PDFelement can be a convenient way to access information without having to leave the document you are working on. It can be particularly useful for researchers, students, and professionals who need to quickly reference information while working on a PDF document.
Tips for Converting Wikipedia to PDF
Here are some tips of converting Wikipedia to PDF file:
- Customize your PDF: If you want to customize your PDF, use a PDF editor. Wondershare PDFelement is a great tool to have since it allows you to edit the text, add notes, add attachments to the PDF, and more.
- Consider the article's length: Keep in mind that longer articles may take longer to convert and may result in a larger file size. If the article is particularly long, you may want to consider breaking it up into sections and creating separate PDFs for each section.
- Streamline Editing with PDFelement - If you have Wondershare PDFelement installed, you can export a Wikipedia directly to the program using the print option. Without this, the process goes like this: download the PDF > open PDFelement > import the PDF. On the other hand, with this, it will only take one click to download the PDF and open it with PDFelement.
Conclusion
Converting Wikipedia pages to PDF is wise, especially when doing research. It has the benefits of better accessibility and availability. Also, you can do it for free, so nothing is stopping you from doing it. After downloading the file, you will need a good PDF reader and editor. Wondershare PDFelement is a great choice. It is an easy-to-use PDF reader with loads of editing and annotating features.