# PDF export is broken, blank and/or not behaving

**URL:** <https://community.penpot.app/t/pdf-export-is-broken-blank-and-or-not-behaving/10248>\
**Category:** Ask the community\
**Created:** [January 22, 2026, 10:07am UTC](https://community.penpot.app/t/pdf-export-is-broken-blank-and-or-not-behaving/10248 "2026-01-22T10:07:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Arbee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Arbee](https://community.penpot.app/u/Arbee)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 10:07am UTC](https://community.penpot.app/t/pdf-export-is-broken-blank-and-or-not-behaving/10248/1 "2026-01-22T10:07:22Z")

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_Hope this is the right section to ask under._

I’m using the public/non-self hosted version, meaning I’m on the latest version of PenPot.

**Here’s my issue** :

I’m trying to export content as a PDF. I imported the content via the PenPot-to-Figma (Figma) plugin (export from Figma, import into PenPot).

When I export that content, it shows with a big white background in any PDF reader, as if it is trying to export to a larger size and filling the canvas with nothingness.

I tried setting up a new board, using the PDF preset, and noticed it is significantly larger than what I imported.

Okay, so it must be that Figma uses a smaller size/lower DPI with their PDF preset.

So I re-create everything in this new, PenPot board.

- I hit export. The file is completely blank (764bytes).

- I try again. And again. And again.

Then I try to create a new PDF board, and just colour it in, drop in some random text.

- I then export. Same issue.
- I try to export from the File menu. Same issue.

I try to make a brand new design file, new PDF board, placeholder content.

- I then export. Same issue.

I then go back to my imported content, and slowly begin sizing it up.

- Each time I export, the content is filling up more and more of the blank PDF space, but once it gets to a certain size, I’m left with a blank file again.

Does this function actually work?

As I’m on the public version, it can’t be an issue on my end.

I’ve also tried multiple browsers, and have created everything from scratch multiple times.

If I am doing the PDF export wrong, the UI isn’t intuitive enough for me to have picked that up.

Please let me know if this is a bug, or if it is a beta feature that accidently got shipped, as I’m really wanting to move to PenPot, but PDF export is a core part of my workflow.

Note: I can export as a PNG, SVG, etc just fine… PDF, however, seems to be broken.

Thank you!

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**Author:** ![Arbee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Arbee](https://community.penpot.app/u/Arbee)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 10:19am UTC](https://community.penpot.app/t/pdf-export-is-broken-blank-and-or-not-behaving/10248/2 "2026-01-22T10:19:59Z")

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Looks like I’m not alone with this issue:

> <https://github.com/penpot/penpot/issues/8154>
>
> \### Steps To Reproduce
> 
> 1. Create new file
> 2. Create board
> 3. Make it A4 format
> …4. Add anything such as a gray square
> 5. Menu \> File \> Export boards as PDF \> Export
> 6. The exported pdf has no gray square
> 
> When cropping down significantly the board, the exported pdf does have the gray square.
> 
> \### Expected behavior
> 
> Export board content.
> 
> \### Actual behavior
> 
> The PDF exporter outputs an empty page when a board has A4 format. It does export when the format is significantly smaller.
> 
> \### Screenshots or video
> 
> \_No response\_
> 
> \### Desktop (please complete the following information)
> 
> \- Windows 11 pro
> \- Firefox 147.0.1
> 
> \### Smartphone (please complete the following information)
> 
> \_No response\_
> 
> \### Environment (please complete the following information)
> 
> \_No response\_
> 
> \### Frontend Stack Trace
> 
> \`\`\`console
> 
> \`\`\`
> 
> \### Backend Stack Trace
> 
> \`\`\`console
> 
> \`\`\`
> 
> \### Additional context
> 
> \_No response\_

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**Author:** ![LimyChitou](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/community.penpot.app/limychitou/32/9715_2.png) [@LimyChitou](https://community.penpot.app/u/LimyChitou)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.penpot.app/t/pdf-export-is-broken-blank-and-or-not-behaving/10248/3 "2026-01-23T16:46:48Z")

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Was loosing my mind today as well, hope they fix this asap