PDF export not working — troubleshooting
If your PDF isn't downloading or looks wrong, try these fixes in order. Most issues are resolved in the first two steps.
1. Disable browser extensions
Ad blockers, PDF viewers, and privacy extensions (like Ghostery or Privacy Badger) can interfere with PDF generation. Disable all extensions and try again.
2. Try a different browser
- Best: Chrome, Edge, Firefox (latest versions)
- Works: Safari 16+
- Not recommended: Brave (aggressive blocking), Opera Mini, older browser versions
3. Check for special characters
Certain special characters (em dashes in some fonts, uncommon Unicode symbols, emojis) can cause rendering issues. Remove any unusual characters and try again.
4. Clear your cache
Stale cached files can cause the PDF engine to fail. Clear your browser cache for our site specifically, or use an incognito/private window.
5. Reduce content length
If your resume is overflowing past 2 pages, the PDF engine may struggle. Try removing a section or shortening bullet points to see if that resolves it.
Tip: Still stuck? Open a support ticket with your browser name/version, a screenshot of any error message, and your resume slug (in the URL bar). We typically resolve PDF issues within 2 hours.
Common error messages
- "PDF generation timed out" → Usually caused by browser extensions. Try step 1.
- "Something went wrong" → Cache issue. Try step 4 or use incognito mode.
- "File is corrupted" → Download was interrupted. Clear cache and retry.
- Blank PDF → Browser extension blocking the render. Try step 1 or 2.
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