How to Email Webpages in Safari in Four Different Formats

Sharing web content directly from the Safari browser via email is a straightforward process that offers multiple formatting options. Whether you need to send a quick reference link or a fully formatted document, Safari and Apple Mail work together to give you complete control over how the recipient views the content. This article explains how to email a webpage from Safari as a simple URL link, a PDF attachment, a distraction-free Reader View article, or an inline HTML page.

Initiating the Email in Safari on a Mac

To mail a webpage in different formats on a Mac, Safari relies on the built-in Apple Mail application. Before choosing your format, you must initiate the sharing process:

  1. Open the Safari browser and navigate to the webpage you want to share.
  2. Click the Share button (the square with an upward arrow) in the top-right corner of the browser toolbar. Alternatively, click File in the top menu bar and hover over Share.
  3. Select Email This Page (or Mail). You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command + I.

An Apple Mail compose window will open with the webpage already loaded. At the top right of the message header, just below the subject line, locate the Send Web Content As drop-down menu. Use this menu to select one of the four formats detailed below.

Sending a simple link is the fastest way to share a webpage without increasing the email's file size.

  • How to select it: Click the Send Web Content As drop-down menu and choose Link Only.
  • Result: The body of the email will contain only the clickable web address, allowing the recipient to open the page in their own default browser.

2. PDF Attachment

A PDF preserves the exact layout, fonts, and design of the webpage as a single downloadable file. This is ideal for archiving, printing, or sharing content that sits behind a paywall or login screen.

  • How to select it: Click the Send Web Content As drop-down menu and choose PDF.
  • Result: Safari converts the entire length of the webpage into a single PDF document and attaches it directly to the email body.

3. Reader View Article

Reader View strips away advertisements, sidebars, navigation menus, and other distractions, leaving only the main article text and relevant photos.

  • How to select it: Click the Send Web Content As drop-down menu and choose Reader. (Note: This option will only appear if the webpage is an article or blog post that supports Safari's Reader View).
  • Result: The cleaned-up, easy-to-read article text and inline images are pasted directly into the body of the email.

4. Inline HTML Page

Sending an inline HTML page embeds the full, interactive webpage directly into the email body so the recipient can view the site's original design without opening a web browser.

  • How to select it: Click the Send Web Content As drop-down menu and choose Web Page.
  • Result: The complete webpage—including its original layout, active links, images, and formatting—is displayed directly inside the email message.

Emailing Webpages on iPhone and iPad

If you are using Safari on iOS or iPadOS, the process uses the system Share Sheet rather than the Mail compose window.

  1. Open the webpage in Safari and tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen.
  2. At the very top of the Share Sheet, directly beneath the webpage title, tap Options.
  3. Choose your desired format under the "Send As" section:
    • Automatic: Sends a simple URL link when sharing to the Mail app.
    • PDF: Generates and attaches a standard PDF of the full webpage.
    • Reader PDF: Creates and attaches a distraction-free PDF using Reader View (if supported by the webpage).
  4. Tap Done in the top-right corner.
  5. Tap the Mail icon in the Share Sheet to open the compose window, enter your recipient's address, and send the email.

To send an inline Reader View article or an inline HTML page on an iPhone or iPad, you must do so manually. Load the webpage (and toggle on Reader View in the address bar if desired), tap and hold the content on the screen, tap Select All, tap Copy, and then paste the copied content directly into the body of a new email in the Mail app.