## TL;DR
The LaTeX error is from the .tex file nbconvert generated, not from nbconvert itself, so the first step is seeing that file: run `jupyter nbconvert --to pdf` with output kept, or convert `--to latex` and compile the .tex manually. The manual compile shows the actual missing package or bad command. Install the missing TeX package (or strip the offending cell output) and re-run.

```text
nbconvert failed: LaTeX Error converting notebook to pdf
```

## Use this when
- nbconvert to PDF fails with a LaTeX Error naming a .tex line.
- HTML export of the same notebook works fine.
- The notebook contains rich outputs (tables, math, images).

## Not for this skill when
- The error is `xelatex not found`. That is a missing TeX install.
- nbconvert fails before generating .tex. That is a template or nbconvert issue.

## Steps
1. Generate the .tex without compiling: `jupyter nbconvert --to latex nb.ipynb`. Verify: you have nb.tex.
2. Compile it by hand: `xelatex nb.tex` (or pdflatex per your setup). Verify: you see the real LaTeX error with a line number.
3. Read the offending .tex lines. Verify: you can name the missing package or the bad command (often from a cell output).
4. Install the missing TeX package via your TeX distribution. Verify: the manual compile now succeeds.
5. Re-run `jupyter nbconvert --to pdf nb.ipynb`. Verify: the PDF builds cleanly.

## Variant phrasings
### nbconvert latex error pdf
Short form. Compile the .tex by hand.

### jupyter pdf export latex failed
UI phrasing. The .tex holds the answer.

### latex error converting notebook to pdf
General phrasing. Missing TeX package is the usual cause.

Compatibility: nbconvert 6/7 with a full TeX Live / MacTeX / MiKTeX install. xelatex is the default engine.

## Why it happens
nbconvert renders the notebook to LaTeX and shells out to xelatex, but it surfaces only a summary of the LaTeX failure. The .tex it generated is a normal LaTeX document, and compiling it directly gives the full error context that nbconvert hides. Most failures are a missing LaTeX package (the notebook used a symbol the default template does not load) or a cell output containing characters LaTeX chokes on.

## Edge cases / pitfalls
- Cell outputs with unescaped special characters (%, _, #) in text output break the .tex. Sanitize or strip those outputs.
- A minimal TeX install lacks most packages. Install the full scheme if you convert notebooks regularly.
- The default template may need `--PDF via LaTeX` engine flags for unicode. xelatex handles unicode; pdflatex often does not.
- Fixing the .tex by hand and recompiling does not fix the notebook. Fix the source (package or output), then regenerate.

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_u-EXfvYDhwxWqDIFIJtNmw