What does an HTML export contain?
WeChat to Markdown prepares a readable HTML document from a WeChat Official Account article. It includes the title, source link, save time, and any account, author, and publication date information that could be extracted. Open it in a browser without first installing a Markdown editor.
Saving the HTML and keeping local image files are separate choices. Choose according to your needs:
- Download article images disabled: you receive one
.htmlfile. The article body and reading styles are in the file; images still reference remote URLs. The document is compact, but images depend on the source and your connection. - Download article images enabled: you receive a ZIP containing the HTML and successfully downloaded images. Their references become relative paths. Failed images retain their original URLs, and the result reports the failures.
Save an article for local browser reading
- Install the extension and open the original article
Choose the official Chrome or Edge store from the installation page. Open a WeChat article you can access normally and confirm that the body and images you need have loaded.
- Select HTML as the export format
Switch to HTML in the article tool panel. For the body with remote images, leave Download article images (“下载文章图片”) disabled and click Save HTML (“保存 HTML”). For local images, enable it; the main button changes to Save complete article (“保存完整文章”). These labels help you identify the controls in the Chinese interface.
- Wait for saving and read the image result
Complete the browser download. Fetching images takes time depending on their number, size, and the connection. If the result says some images retain remote URLs, note the failure count before treating the export as an offline archive.
- Extract the ZIP and open the HTML
Fully extract a ZIP before opening its HTML in a browser. Check the beginning, ending, tables, and key images. Keep the document and image folder in the same relative positions when organizing files.
For first-use entry or permission issues, see the first-save guide. Check the extension and pricing page for current allowances and plan features. The store product and the open-source Community edition have different feature scopes.
Example: where should the HTML and images go?
This example shows an extracted single-article HTML ZIP with images. The article name, image count, and extensions depend on the actual export; not every article contains two images.
├── Example article.html
└── images/
├── 001.jpg
└── 002.png
Successfully localized images use relative references such as images/001.jpg. “Example article/” represents an example extraction folder. The HTML file and images/ folder sit at the same level.
Move the entire “Example article” folder into your archive, or keep the original ZIP. Copying only the HTML leaves image references pointing to files that may not exist on another computer. Renaming the image folder without updating its references also breaks them.
How to check offline completeness
Read any image failure message, inspect the extracted files, and then verify the reading copy. Remote images may still display while you are online, so a working online preview does not prove that every image was archived.
- Confirm you downloaded a ZIP with images and fully extracted it. Check that important illustrations have corresponding local files.
- Open the extracted HTML in a browser and compare the title, final paragraph, lists, tables, and key images with the original.
- Disconnect and reopen the local document. Browser caches can make remote images appear available, so this check cannot replace reviewing the failure message and local image files.
- Copy the whole folder to your backup location. When moving to another device, transfer the whole folder and check again.
If an important image still uses a remote reference, retry while the original is available. Keep the previous copy until you have checked the new result. See the WeChat image download guide for more detail.
Common HTML export problems
Why did I receive HTML without an image folder?
Check whether Download article images was enabled during export. A single HTML file is expected when it is disabled. When enabled, you normally receive a ZIP that must be extracted to inspect its images. If the article contains no extractable images, or every image download failed, folder presence alone does not tell you whether the body was saved.
Why do images work online but disappear offline?
Image downloading may have been disabled, or failed images may still reference their remote URLs. Review the export feedback, check the local files, and retry. The extension retains failed images' original links so you can inspect their sources; a failed download is not a successful offline copy.
Why do images disappear after I move the HTML?
Check whether you moved only the HTML or renamed images/. Restore the document and image folder to the relative positions shown in the example, then reopen the file. Fully extract the ZIP instead of opening a temporary preview inside an archive application.
Why does the layout differ from WeChat?
The export is a prepared reading document with its own basic styles. Complex layouts, custom fonts, and platform components may render differently. Check that text, tables, and key images are complete. The HTML file is not a full mirror of the original site.
What if a download stops or the body is incomplete?
Confirm the original is still accessible, your connection works, and the browser did not cancel the download, then retry. Export cannot fill in content that never loaded on the original page. If the problem persists, send the steps, browser, and a publicly accessible example through support.
HTML, Markdown, and PDF serve different purposes
HTML works well for continuous browser reading with formatting. Markdown is useful for editing, search, and Obsidian import. PDF provides fixed pagination for annotation and printing. Keep successfully downloaded image files when you need to manage images separately.
An HTML reading copy does not promise to preserve video, audio, comments, interactive components, or every original effect, and it cannot bypass access restrictions. Retaining the source link does not guarantee that the original will remain available. Saving a copy does not change the content's copyright or permitted uses.
This page covers single-article HTML exports. See collection archiving for organizing multiple articles, collection scope, and batch export. For blogs, news, and other tutorials, use the webpage saving guide.