Convert Word document to PDF in ASP.NET Core

17 Feb 202511 minutes to read

Syncfusion^® Essential^® DocIO is a .NET Core Word library used to create, read, edit, and convert Word documents programmatically without Microsoft Word or interop dependencies. Using this library, you can convert a Word document to PDF in ASP.NET Core.

Steps to convert word document to PDF in C#:

• Visual Studio
• Visual Studio Code
• JetBrains Rider

Step 1: Create a new ASP.NET Core Web application (Model-View-Controller) project.

Step 2: Install the Syncfusion.DocIORenderer.Net.Core NuGet package as a reference to your project from NuGet.org.

NOTE

Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion^® assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, you also have to add “Syncfusion.Licensing” assembly reference and include a license key in your projects. Please refer to this link to know about registering Syncfusion^® license key in your application to use our components.

Step 3: Include the following namespaces in the HomeController.cs file.

C#

using Syncfusion.DocIO;
using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS;
using Syncfusion.DocIORenderer;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;

Step 4: A default action method named Index will be present in HomeController.cs. Right click on Index method and select Go To View where you will be directed to its associated view page Index.cshtml.

Step 6: Add a new button in the Index.cshtml as shown below.

C#

@{Html.BeginForm("ConvertWordtoPDF", "Home", FormMethod.Get);
{
<div>
    <input type="submit" value="Convert Word Document to PDF" style="width:220px;height:27px" />
</div>
}
Html.EndForm();
}

Step 5: Add a new action method ConvertWordDocumentToPdf in HomeController.cs and include the below code snippet to convert the Word document to Pdf and download it.

C#

//Open the file as Stream
using (FileStream docStream = new FileStream(Path.GetFullPath("Data/Template.docx"), FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
    //Loads file stream into Word document
    using (WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument(docStream, FormatType.Docx))
    {
        //Instantiation of DocIORenderer for Word to PDF conversion
        using (DocIORenderer render = new DocIORenderer())
        {
            //Converts Word document into PDF document
            PdfDocument pdfDocument = render.ConvertToPDF(wordDocument);

            //Saves the PDF document to MemoryStream.
            MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
            pdfDocument.Save(stream);
            stream.Position = 0;

            //Download PDF document in the browser.
            return File(stream, "application/pdf", "Sample.pdf");
        }
    }
}

Step 6: Build the project.

Click on Build → Build Solution or press Ctrl+Shift+B to build the project.

Step 7: Run the project.

Click the Start button (green arrow) or press F5 to run the app.

You can download a complete working sample from GitHub.

By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows.

Prerequisites:

• Visual Studio Code.
• Install .NET 8 SDK or later.
• Open Visual Studio Code and install the C# for Visual Studio Code extension from the Extensions Marketplace.

Step 1: Create a new ASP.NET Core Web application project.

• Open the command palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P and type .NET:New Project and enter.
• Choose the ASP.NET Core Web App( Model-View-Controller) MVC template.

• Select the project location, type the project name and press enter.
• Then choose Create project.

Step 2: To convert a Word document to PDF in ASP.NET Core Web app, install Syncfusion.DocIORenderer.Net.Core to the ASP.NET Core project.

• Press Ctrl + ` (backtick) to open the integrated terminal in Visual Studio Code.
• Ensure you’re in the project root directory where your .csproj file is located.
• Run the command dotnet add package Syncfusion.DocIORenderer.Net.Core to install the NuGet package.

NOTE

Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion^® assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, you also have to add “Syncfusion.Licensing” assembly reference and include a license key in your projects. Please refer to this link to know about registering Syncfusion^® license key in your application to use our components.

Step 3: Include the following namespaces in the HomeController.cs file.

C#

using Syncfusion.DocIO;
using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS;
using Syncfusion.DocIORenderer;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;

Step 4: A default action method named Index will be present in HomeController.cs. Right click on Index method and select Go To View where you will be directed to its associated view page Index.cshtml.

Step 5: Add a new button in the Index.cshtml as shown below.

C#

@{Html.BeginForm("ConvertWordtoPDF", "Home", FormMethod.Get);
{
<div>
    <input type="submit" value="Convert Word Document to PDF" style="width:220px;height:27px" />
</div>
}
Html.EndForm();
}

Step 6: Add a new action method ConvertWordDocumentToPdf in HomeController.cs and include the below code snippet to convert the Word document to Pdf and download it.

C#

//Open the file as Stream
using (FileStream docStream = new FileStream(Path.GetFullPath("Data/Template.docx"), FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
    //Loads file stream into Word document
    using (WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument(docStream, FormatType.Docx))
    {
        //Instantiation of DocIORenderer for Word to PDF conversion
        using (DocIORenderer render = new DocIORenderer())
        {
            //Converts Word document into PDF document
            PdfDocument pdfDocument = render.ConvertToPDF(wordDocument);

            //Saves the PDF document to MemoryStream.
            MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
            pdfDocument.Save(stream);
            stream.Position = 0;

            //Download PDF document in the browser.
            return File(stream, "application/pdf", "Sample.pdf");
        }
    }
}

Step 7: Build the project.

Run the following command in terminal to build the project.

dotnet build

Step 8: Run the project.

Run the following command in terminal to run the project.

dotnet run

You can download a complete working sample from GitHub.

By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows.

Prerequisites:

• JetBrains Rider.
• Install .NET 8 SDK or later.

Step 1. Open JetBrains Rider and create a new ASP.NET Core Web application project.

• Launch JetBrains Rider.
• Click new solution on the welcome screen.

• In the new Solution dialog, select Project Type as Web.
• Select the target framework (e.g., .NET 8.0, .NET 9.0) and template as Web App(Model-View-Controller).
• Enter a project name and specify the location.
• Click create.

Step 2: Install the NuGet package from NuGet.org.

• Click the NuGet icon in the Rider toolbar and type Syncfusion.DocIORenderer.Net.Core in the search bar.
• Ensure that “nuget.org” is selected as the package source.
• Select the latest Syncfusion.DocIORenderer.Net.Core NuGet package from the list.
• Click the + (Add) button to add the package.

• Click the Install button to complete the installation.

NOTE

Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, you also have to add “Syncfusion.Licensing” assembly reference and include a license key in your projects. Please refer to this link to know about registering Syncfusion license key in your application to use our components.

Step 3: Include the following namespaces in the HomeController.cs file.

C#

using Syncfusion.DocIO;
using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS;
using Syncfusion.DocIORenderer;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;

Step 4: A default action method named Index will be present in HomeController.cs. Right click on Index method and select Go To View where you will be directed to its associated view page Index.cshtml.

Step 5: Add a new button in the Index.cshtml as shown below.

C#

@{Html.BeginForm("ConvertWordtoPDF", "Home", FormMethod.Get);
{
<div>
    <input type="submit" value="Convert Word Document to PDF" style="width:220px;height:27px" />
</div>
}
Html.EndForm();
}

Step 6: Add a new action method ConvertWordDocumentToPdf in HomeController.cs and include the below code snippet to convert the Word document to Pdf and download it.

C#

//Open the file as Stream
using (FileStream docStream = new FileStream(Path.GetFullPath("Data/Template.docx"), FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
    //Loads file stream into Word document
    using (WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument(docStream, FormatType.Docx))
    {
        //Instantiation of DocIORenderer for Word to PDF conversion
        using (DocIORenderer render = new DocIORenderer())
        {
            //Converts Word document into PDF document
            PdfDocument pdfDocument = render.ConvertToPDF(wordDocument);

            //Saves the PDF document to MemoryStream.
            MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
            pdfDocument.Save(stream);
            stream.Position = 0;

            //Download PDF document in the browser.
            return File(stream, "application/pdf", "Sample.pdf");
        }
    }
}

Step 7: Build the project.

Click the Build button in the toolbar or press Ctrl+Shift+B to build the project.

Step 8: Run the project.

Click the Run button (green arrow) in the toolbar or press F5 to run the app.

You can download a complete working sample from GitHub.

By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows.

Click here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion^® Word library (DocIO) features.

An online sample link to convert Word document to PDF in ASP.NET Core.