Recipe ClipperRecipe-Clipper

Guides & Tutorials

Step-by-step walkthroughs for every Recipe-Clipper feature. Click any section to jump straight to it. Looking up a specific feature? See the A-Z Glossary.

1. How do I install the Recipe-Clipper browser extension?

  1. 1Go to your browser's extension store: Chrome Web Store for Chrome, Firefox Add-ons for Firefox, or Edge Add-ons for Edge. Search for "Recipe-Clipper" (or use the links on our homepage).
  2. 2Click "Add to Chrome" (or "Add to Firefox" / "Get" on Edge). If Chrome shows a "Proceed with caution" warning, click "Continue to install" — this is normal for newer extensions.
  3. 3The Recipe-Clipper icon appears in your browser toolbar. If you don't see it, click the puzzle-piece icon (Extensions) in the toolbar and pin Recipe-Clipper so it's always visible.
  4. 4Sign in: click the Recipe-Clipper icon, then log in with your email and password (or create a free account).
  5. 5Navigate to any recipe page — a food blog, Allrecipes, NYT Cooking, etc.
  6. 6Click the Recipe-Clipper icon. The side panel opens and your recipe is extracted automatically. Click "Save Recipe" and it's in your cookbook.
Browser-specific notes
  • •Chrome: Right-click the Recipe-Clipper icon and choose "Pin" so it stays visible in your toolbar.
  • •Firefox: The extension opens as a sidebar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut to toggle it.
  • •Edge: Works just like Chrome — find it in the Edge Add-ons store and pin it to your toolbar.
  • •All browsers: You only need to sign in once. The extension remembers your session.

2. How do I save a recipe from any website?

  1. 1Navigate to any recipe site — food blogs, NYT Cooking, Allrecipes, etc.
  2. 2Click the Recipe-Clipper icon in your browser toolbar.
  3. 3The recipe appears in the side panel — extracted and cleaned up automatically.
  4. 4Review the extracted recipe to make sure everything looks right.
  5. 5Click "Save Recipe" to add it to your cookbook.
  6. 6Find it in your cookbook anytime, on any device.
Tip

Works on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. If extraction doesn't catch everything, you can edit the recipe after saving. Note: Chrome may show a "Proceed with caution" warning when you first install — this is standard for any recently published extension and goes away as more people install it.

3. How do I import a handwritten recipe card from a photo?

  1. 1Go to your cookbook and click "Add Recipe."
  2. 2Choose "Photo Import."
  3. 3Take a photo or upload an image of a recipe — handwritten cards, cookbook pages, magazine clippings all work.
  4. 4AI reads the image and creates a clean recipe card.
  5. 5Review the extracted details and edit anything that needs fixing.
  6. 6Save to your cookbook.
Getting the best results from photo import
  • •Make sure you have good lighting — avoid shadows across the text.
  • •Clean your phone camera lens (sounds obvious, but it makes a big difference).
  • •Flatten the page as much as possible — curled edges and tight binding can obscure text.
  • •Both handwritten and printed recipes work — the AI handles both.
  • •If something doesn't parse correctly, you can edit any field after import.

4. How do I import recipes from Paprika or Plan to Eat?

  1. 1Go to your cookbook and click "Import" (or navigate to Add My Recipe > Import).
  2. 2Choose your source app — Paprika or Plan to Eat.
  3. 3Follow the on-screen instructions to export your recipes from that app.
  4. 4Upload the exported file (.paprikarecipes for Paprika, .txt for Plan to Eat).
  5. 5Recipe-Clipper parses the file and shows you how many recipes were found.
  6. 6Click to import — recipes are saved to your cookbook with folders auto-created from categories.
  7. 7Review the summary: recipes imported, folders created, and any that were skipped.
Import tips
  • •Categories from your old app become folders in Recipe-Clipper automatically.
  • •If a folder with that name already exists, recipes are added to it (case-insensitive matching).
  • •Large collections work fine — parsing happens in your browser, not on the server.
  • •You can import multiple times without worrying about duplicates being blocked.
  • •Switching from a different app not listed? Use the browser extension to re-clip your favorites one by one, or request the format via our feedback form.

5. How do I organize recipes into folders?

  1. 1From your cookbook, click on any recipe card.
  2. 2In the recipe detail view, look for the folder/collection option.
  3. 3Choose an existing folder or create a new one.
  4. 4The recipe is now organized in that folder.
  5. 5Access your folders from the main cookbook navigation.
Tip

You can put the same recipe in multiple folders. Use folders for things like "Weeknight Dinners," "Holiday Baking," "Mom's Recipes," etc.

6. What is cook mode and how does it work?

  1. 1Open any saved recipe.
  2. 2Tap "Cook Mode."
  3. 3Your screen stays awake — no more tapping to keep it lit.
  4. 4Step-by-step instructions with large text you can read from across the kitchen.
  5. 5Check off ingredients as you go.
  6. 6Use built-in timers for any timed steps.
  7. 7Works offline if you've viewed the recipe before.
Tip

Cook mode works on your phone too — install Recipe-Clipper as a PWA (see the "Installing on Your Phone" section below) and prop your phone up in the kitchen.

7. How does smart recipe scaling work?

  1. 1Open any saved recipe.
  2. 2Use the ½x / 1x / 2x / 3x buttons to scale up or down.
  3. 3All ingredient amounts update automatically.
  4. 4Look for the ~ symbol next to seasonings and leavening — these use smart scaling so your doubled recipe doesn't end up with double the salt.
Tip

Smart scaling adjusts spices, seasonings, baking powder/soda, garlic, strong sauces, and similar ingredients using a dampening curve. This means a tripled soup doesn't become inedible. You can always manually adjust any amount.

8. How do I convert between metric and imperial units?

  1. 1Open any saved recipe.
  2. 2Look for the Imperial/Metric toggle near the scaling controls.
  3. 3Switch between cups/tablespoons/Fahrenheit and milliliters/grams/Celsius.
  4. 4Works alongside scaling — you can scale AND convert independently.
Tip

This is a Premium feature. Conversions use standard cooking ratios (1 cup = 240ml, 1 oz = 28g, etc.).

9. How do I export my recipes as a PDF cookbook?

  1. 1Go to your cookbook.
  2. 2Click "Export" or "Download PDF."
  3. 3Choose which recipes to include (or export all).
  4. 4A beautifully formatted PDF is generated with recipe cards.
  5. 5Download and print, email to family, or save for offline reference.
Tip

Great for printing recipe cards to pin on the fridge, tucking into a binder, or sharing at potlucks.

10. How do I install Recipe-Clipper on my phone?

  1. 1Open recipe-clipper.com on your phone's browser.
  2. 2You should see an "Add to Home Screen" prompt (or find it in your browser's menu).
  3. 3Tap to install.
  4. 4Recipe-Clipper now appears as an app on your phone.
  5. 5Your cookbook, cook mode, and all premium features work from here.
  6. 6Previously viewed recipes are available offline.
Installation by platform
  • •iPhone: Use Safari, tap the Share button, then "Add to Home Screen."
  • •Android/Chrome: Tap the three-dot menu, then "Add to Home Screen" or look for the install banner.
  • •The PWA works on both iPhone and Android with full offline support.

11. How do I use Prep It (AI cooking assistant)?

  1. 1Prep It is available as a floating chat bubble on every page once you're logged in, or visit /prep directly.
  2. 2Click the chat bubble and type a question or prompt. Try: "Plan 5 weeknight dinners for two, nothing too heavy."
  3. 3Prep It can also help with specific recipes: "What can I substitute for buttermilk?" or "Scale this recipe for 8 people — will the bake time change?"
  4. 4Ask for recipe discovery: "Find me a Thai curry recipe" or "What can I make with chicken thighs, rice, and broccoli?"
  5. 5Build shopping lists through conversation: "Make a shopping list for this week's meal plan."
  6. 6Get cooking guidance in real time: "Is my caramel supposed to be this dark?" or "What does 'fold' mean?"
  7. 7Free users get 3 Prep It conversations per month. Pro and Premium users can add their own API key on /prep for unlimited access.
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) setup
  • •Go to /prep and scroll to the API key section below the feature overview.
  • •Choose your provider: Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (ChatGPT), or Google (Gemini).
  • •Paste your API key — it's encrypted with AES-256-GCM before storage.
  • •Your key is used only for your conversations and is never shared.
  • •For quick-start prompts and examples, visit /ask-prep-it.

12. How do I share a recipe with someone?

  1. 1Open any saved recipe.
  2. 2Click the "Share" button.
  3. 3A shareable link is generated.
  4. 4Send it to anyone — they can view the recipe without needing an account.
Tip

Shared recipes display cleanly with no ads, no clutter — just the recipe. Great for texting a recipe to someone who asked "what did you make last night?"

Still need help?

Send us a message through our feedback form or email support@recipe-clipper.com.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Check our Help & FAQ for quick answers to common questions.