When you find a web page useful and try to save the page to use later on Chrome, you mostly use Save As option from context menu or use Ctrl+S (Command+S on Mac). Chrome lets you save the complete page as HTML format. The problem with this procedure is, you end up getting multiple files saved for a single page. One is html (htm in short) file and another is a folder containing supporting files like JS, CSS, images, etc. You have to keep the both file and folder to make the html file work on browsers. This leads to huge hassle when you are saving many web pages, where every page taking multiple files to save. Having more than one file for a single web page kills portability and sharing.

Save pages in single HTML file

To combat this problem, most people are found to use screenshot tools, save as PDF feature or switch to another browser to save as MHTML format. MHTML option can be used to save web pages into single MHTML file. But Chrome doesn’t support it by default. You can enable MHTML feature on Chrome from Chrome://flags. But thing would get a lot easier if we could save a webpage to a single HTML file. An HTML file is as good as or better than a PDF file. Fortunately, a Chrome extension called SingleFile got us covered.

About SingleFile Chrome Extension

SingleFile is a free Chrome extension called that makes Google Chrome save web pages to single HTML files. This extension is very lightweight and doesn’t compromise Chrome’s performance and usability. This system works in conjunction of two extensions (SingleFile and SingleFile Core) from the same developer. Once both extension added to Chrome, you will have a toolbar and context menu button to process a page to save as single file.

Note: This extension saves pages in pure HTML, not in MHTML. That means you are saving pages in single html file without using MHTML format. Isn’t that nice?

How it Works

Normally when you save a page in Chrome, Chrome will separate CSS, JS, etc. files, thus leading to multiple files. As of SingleFile extension, it will bring little changes to the page’s code and embed images, css and js codes inline of the html file. Thus, this procedure leads to a single html file that can be use with any web browser.

How to Save Web Pages to Single HTML Files

  1. Add both SingleFile and SingleFile Core to Chrome. SingleFile Core is necessary to make the main extension work.
  2. After you have installed both to Chrome, load the website or webpage you want to save. Then right-click on the page and choose process page. Alternative you can click on SingleFile icon from Chrome top-right corner.
    Process page
  3. Right after getting your command, it will start to process the page and immediately bring a yellow banner on top – offering you to save the page. You can also rename the file name by clicking on the pen icon from right side of the banner.
    Click to save page
  4. Once you click on “Click here to save page”, the single file HTML document will be downloaded right to Chrome’s default download folder. That’s it.

SingleFile Options

SingleFile extension also comes with options to remove unnecessary scripts to prevent  getting added to the file while downloading.

Singlefile options

This lets you save pages more efficiently and reduce the size of output file.

Afterall, SingleFile is the easiest and most convenient solution to saving any web page as a single HTML file while making the file operable in any browser. Since SingleFiles is a chrome extension, and Chrome is a cross-platform browser, you can use this extension on Mac, Linux and Chrome OS too.

Author: 

Jaber is a Programmer and Tech Enthusiast Geek from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is the founder and Chief-Editor of TechGainer. While he is away from his keyboard, either he's fishing or messing with wildlife. In case, you can contact him at rijans[at]techgainer[dot]com.