🔍 Overview
Some customers notice an unexpected download or print icon appearing in the top-right corner of their exported PDF reports. This icon can make reports look unpolished when sharing them with clients. This article explains why it appears and how to remove it so your reports look clean and professional.
🧩 Why the Icon Appears
The download or print icon is typically triggered by your browser's built-in PDF viewer settings, not by Search Atlas itself. When you preview or export a PDF report, your browser may overlay its own navigation controls — including print and save icons — on top of the document. This behaviour changed in recent browser updates, which is why you may not have seen it before.
In some cases, the icon may also appear if you are viewing the report inside a browser tab rather than downloading it as a standalone file.
🛠️ How to Remove the Icon
Follow these steps to export a clean PDF report without the unwanted icon:
- Go to Reports → Report Builder (Report Builder) in the left sidebar (URL: /report-builder/projects-list).
- Open the report you want to export.
- Click the Download .CSV button inside the Report Builder — do not use your browser's built-in print or save function.
- Once the file downloads, open it directly in a dedicated PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat, Preview (macOS), or any standalone PDF application instead of opening it in a browser tab.
- The icon will no longer appear because it was added by the browser overlay, not embedded in the file itself.
💡 Best Practices for Professional PDF Reports
- Always download first, then open: Avoid previewing exported PDFs inside your browser tab. Open them in a dedicated PDF application for the cleanest view.
- Use the in-platform export button: The export function inside Search Atlas generates a properly formatted file. Using your browser's print-to-PDF shortcut may add browser UI elements to the output.
- Check your browser extensions: Some PDF-related browser extensions inject their own toolbar icons. Try disabling extensions temporarily if the icon persists after downloading.
- Share the downloaded file directly: When sending reports to clients, attach the downloaded PDF file rather than sharing a browser preview link to ensure they see a clean document.
🌐 Browser-Specific Tips
- Google Chrome: Chrome overlays a toolbar on PDFs viewed in the browser. Always click the download arrow in Chrome's PDF toolbar to save the file before opening it externally.
- Mozilla Firefox: Firefox has a similar built-in PDF viewer. Use File → Save Page As or the in-platform export button to get a clean file.
- Safari (macOS): Safari typically opens PDFs cleanly, but using the Search Atlas export button is still the recommended approach.
- Microsoft Edge: Edge's PDF viewer may also show toolbar icons. Download the file first and open it in a standalone viewer.
✅ Confirming the Fix
After following the steps above, your PDF report should display without any browser-generated icons. The document will show only your report content, your branding, and the sections you configured inside the Search Atlas report builder — exactly as your clients expect to see it.
🙋 Still Need Help?
If you have followed all the steps above and the icon is still appearing in your exported PDF file, or if you believe the icon is being added by the Search Atlas platform itself rather than your browser, our team is happy to take a closer look. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.