# Convert to File node issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967 "2025-11-03T21:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kaouthar_Bousbaa)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/1 "2025-11-03T21:26:22Z")
Hello, I am trying to create a workflow to convert an HTML to PDF, I did some research and I decided to use Gotenberg (source here: [Generating PDFs with N8N using Gotenberg](https://blog.elest.io/n8n-generating-pdfs-with-n8n-using-gotenberg/) ) The issue is the toggle “Data in Base64” doesn’t exist, my n8n version is the latest, I tried both using the cloud version and self-hosted version using docker compose. Could you please assist further, what might be the issue? Thank you so much!! ---
**Author:** ![MEP](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/mep/32/106812_2.png) [@MEP](https://community.n8n.io/u/MEP)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/2 "2025-11-03T22:05:49Z")
Hi @Kaouthar_Bousbaa, It looks like the article you’re referencing is a bit out of date. Could you try using the **Convert to File** node instead, as described here: [Convert to File | n8n Docs](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.converttofile/) and specifically the **Move Base64 String to file** option mentioned here: > **[Templates and examples - Convert to File | n8n Docs](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.converttofile/#templates-and-examples)** > > Use the Convert to File node to take input data and output it as a file. This converts the input JSON data into a binary format. | Documentation for the Convert to File node in n8n, a workflow automation platform. Includes guidance on usage, and... ---
**Author:** ![Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kaouthar_Bousbaa)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/3 "2025-11-03T23:46:12Z")
Thank you!! I tried this, but the issue is that in the Convert to File node (Move Base64 String to File), the output is in base64, that’s why I am looking for a toggle to disable it. ![Screenshot 2025-11-04 at 00.40.31](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/original/3X/2/f/2f6532915a57a7dcc318fc2623e555c1bc699325.png) ![Screenshot 2025-11-04 at 00.40.14](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/original/3X/5/e/5efebd4376424a787fd7339beeec488af31616a6.png) ---
**Author:** ![Parintele\_Damaskin](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/parintele_damaskin/32/139243_2.png) [@Parintele\_Damaskin](https://community.n8n.io/u/Parintele_Damaskin)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/4 "2025-11-04T06:54:20Z")
Convert to File node with the “Move Base64 String to File” operation in n8n is designed to take a Base64 string and output it as a binary file. The output is stored in the binary property of the item, not as another Base64 string. There is no toggle or option to “disable” base64 output, because the node’s output is already in binary format for use in downstream nodes, what you may see as base64 in the UI is just how n8n displays binary data for inspection, not how it is handled internally or passed to other nodes. If you are seeing base64 in the output, it is likely just the UI representation. ---
**Author:** ![mohamed3nan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/mohamed3nan/32/188347_2.png) [@mohamed3nan](https://community.n8n.io/u/mohamed3nan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 7:21am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/5 "2025-11-04T07:21:20Z")
Hello @Kaouthar_Bousbaa If I understand your problem correctly, you want to convert an HTML string into a valid HTML file, To do that, you first need to convert the HTML string to Base64 using `.base64Encode()`, because the **Convert to File** node expects Base64 data in its input field, Here’s a simple example of how to do it: ---
**Author:** ![Websensepro](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/websensepro/32/188426_2.png) [@Websensepro](https://community.n8n.io/u/Websensepro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 10:40am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/6 "2025-11-04T10:40:53Z")
Hi @Kaouthar_Bousbaa, You’re absolutely right, the **“Data in Base64”** toggle that used to appear in older versions of n8n (or in the older Gotenberg examples) is no longer available in the latest releases. Now n8n handles binary data differently. When you use the **Convert to File** node with the **Move Base64 String to File** option enabled, the output automatically becomes a binary file. You don’t need to manually toggle or disable Base64, the node already converts the Base64 string into a file format that can be passed directly to the next node (like HTTP Request or Gotenberg). If you’re still getting Base64 output, please double check that the input data key you’re converting is the correct one (for example, `data`, `html`, or whatever field contains your HTML string). Also make sure you’ve connected the **Convert to File** node directly before sending the file to Gotenberg. If you’d like, I can share a small example workflow that converts HTML → PDF using Gotenberg with the latest n8n version. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kaouthar_Bousbaa)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 11:42am UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/7 "2025-11-04T11:42:46Z")
Thank you so much!! It works now, using your workflow I could convert the HTML to an HTML file! But when I tried to connect the Convert to File node to the HTTPs node, I go t an error: ![Screenshot 2025-11-04 at 11.57.52](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/original/3X/0/6/063495dd844f599fa128406c707b2469f4466a89.png) Apparently, it’s expecting a file named _index.html_, and as you can see, it’s configured correctly in the previous node. Am I doing something wrong? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Parintele\_Damaskin](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/parintele_damaskin/32/139243_2.png) [@Parintele\_Damaskin](https://community.n8n.io/u/Parintele_Damaskin)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 12:01pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/8 "2025-11-04T12:01:50Z")
Don’t use expression when you declare the Input data field name. Just type as text the orange description of the file, from result of previous node. If is not working try change from index.html to something without the . dot. ---
**Author:** ![Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kaouthar_Bousbaa)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 12:12pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/9 "2025-11-04T12:12:11Z")
Thank you, I used ‘fixed’ option instead and then I typed again the ‘index.html’ – didn’t work. Then I changed the name to something without the dot, and it returns the same error: **Bad request - please check your parameters** Invalid form data: form file ‘index.html’ is required ---
**Author:** ![Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kaouthar_Bousbaa)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/10 "2025-11-04T19:35:26Z")
Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![mohamed3nan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/mohamed3nan/32/188347_2.png) [@mohamed3nan](https://community.n8n.io/u/mohamed3nan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/11 "2025-11-04T19:48:27Z")
try change the html file name to `index.html` also the input to `index.html` all the same, probably **Gotenberg** need the file name to be `index.html` ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/original/3X/a/d/ad6ea97977a209cc0322c5cca04bcaf0d194ab2c.png) ---
**Author:** ![Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Kaouthar\_Bousbaa](https://community.n8n.io/u/Kaouthar_Bousbaa)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/12 "2025-11-05T14:34:36Z")
Thank you so much!! It works now! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/system/32/36532_2.png) [@system](https://community.n8n.io/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 2:35pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/convert-to-file-node-issue/215967/13 "2026-02-03T14:35:25Z")
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