How to Download PDF From URL in C# (Step-By-Step) Tutorial
Are you wondering how to create a PDF file using a URL or download a PDF file using the C# .NET programming language? This article will discuss how you can do just this using a market-leading .NET library called IronPDF - HTML to PDF Library for .NET. IronPDF lets you download PDF files and convert any HTML page to a PDF file.
How to Download PDF From URL in C#
- Install C# library to download PDF from URL
- Instantiate
ChromePdfRendererclass to have access to its methods - Use
RenderUrlAsPdfmethod in C# to generate PDF from URL - Specify file path to
SaveAsmethod to export the PDF - Check the generated PDF from URL
IronPDF
IronPDF is a powerful HTML-to-PDF conversion API. IronPDF offers a comprehensive set of tools for converting HTML sites in the .NET and .NET Core Frameworks. IronPDF allows developers to create, alter, and retrieve PDFs in .NET projects. Using IronPDF, developers can easily produce and manipulate high-fidelity PDFs from HTML pages.
Creating PDF files using IronPDF is easy and efficient, thereby reducing the workload on developers.
To get started with IronPDF, all you need is Visual Studio and C# installed on your system. Follow the steps in this comprehensive IronPDF installation guide to install IronPDF and get started with working with PDFs.
1. Creating a New Project in Visual Studio
Open the Visual Studio IDE.
Go to the File menu in Visual Studio after starting it up. Select "New Project" then Console Application.
In the relevant text box, type the project name and choose the path. Then, click the Create button. Select the required .NET Framework, as in the screenshot below:
Configure the new project
When a new window appears, select the target framework and click on Create.
Select a .NET Framework
The main Program.cs file will now open.
A default C# file is created for the new project
2. Install the IronPDF C# Library
The IronPDF library can be downloaded and installed in many ways. This tutorial targets three simplest approaches:
- Using the Visual Studio NuGet Package Manager
- Using the Visual Studio Command-Line
- Direct download from the NuGet webpage
2.1. Using the Visual Studio NuGet Package Manager
The NuGet Package Manager option is available in Visual Studio to install the package directly into the solution. The below screenshot shows how to open it.
Navigate to NuGet Package Manager
This opens a search box that displays a list of the package libraries available on NuGet. As shown in the screenshot below, search for the keyword "IronPDF" in the package manager search field.
Search for IronPDF in NuGet Package Manager UI
Select the IronPDF package (first option as shown above) and click Install to add the package to this solution.
Install IronPDF in NuGet Package Manager UI
2.2. Using the Visual Studio Command-Line
In the Visual Studio menu, go to Tools, move the cursor to NuGet Package Manager and click on Package Manager Console.
Navigate to Package Manager Console
Package Manager Console will appear at the bottom of the screen. Just write the following command and press enter, and IronPDF will install.
Install-Package IronPdf
Install IronPDF in Package Manager Console
2.3 Direct download from the NuGet webpage
The third way is to download the NuGet package directly from the website.
- Navigate to the link https://www.nuget.org/packages/IronPdf/
- Select the download package option from the menu on the right-hand side.
- Double-click the downloaded package; it will be installed automatically.
- Now reload the solution and begin using it in the project.
3. Download a PDF from a URL using IronPDF
You can easily download a PDF document from a URL with just a few lines of code using IronPDF. URL to PDF conversion has a lot of applications, such as saving or sending UI designs and record-keeping to name a few. Using IronPDF's URL to PDF file conversion takes just a few seconds, as it uses the world's number one rendering engine to render HTML.
This tutorial will demonstrate IronPDF's precision and efficiency with two different websites that vary in size and complexity.
3.1. Downloading a PDF from the URL of an eCommerce Website
IronPDF can render text, images, and descriptions of any eCommerce website from a URL with just a few lines of code.
To perform this conversion, copy the URL of your favorite eCommerce website and execute the project with code similar to what's given below.
using IronPdf;
// Instantiate renderer
var renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
// Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.daraz.pk/#hp-flash-sale");
// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("ecommerce_site.pdf");using IronPdf;
// Instantiate renderer
var renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
// Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://www.daraz.pk/#hp-flash-sale");
// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("ecommerce_site.pdf");The output for the given sample is below. Compare this image with how it appears in a web browser:
The output PDF file from a URL
3.2. Downloading a PDF from the URL of a Blog Website
Blog websites have a lot of small details that are important for their UI. Ideally, these details should be preserved when converting blog pages to PDFs.
The next example will present the results of converting a Wikipedia article to PDF.
A Wikipedia article in the web browser
using IronPdf;
// Instantiate renderer
var renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
// Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL");
// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("wikipedia_article.pdf");using IronPdf;
// Instantiate renderer
var renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
// Create a PDF from a URL or local file path
var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL");
// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("wikipedia_article.pdf");
The output PDF file from the Wikipedia article
When creating the PDF of blog pages, internal links should not be broken. PDFs created using IronPDF maintain all links correctly.
4. Conclusion
This tutorial discussed how to create PDFs from URLs using IronPDF. IronPDF makes it very simple to convert HTML from existing URLs to PDF documents. JavaScript, images, forms, and links are all extremely well-supported; the output is almost identical to the original and keeps all formatting and links.
For more examples of using IronPDF, please read this IronPDF URL to PDF Code Example. To learn more about the features of IronPDF offers, please visit the IronPDF Features Overview page.
Additionally, some notable features that IronPDF offers:
- Load URLs with custom network login credentials.
- Encrypting and decrypting PDFs.
- Merging existing PDF files.
- Creating and editing PDF forms.
More information about IronPDF licensing for Free and Commercial projects is available on the IronPDF Licensing Information page. Purchase Iron Software's entire suite of five libraries for a deeply discounted price: five libraries for the cost of two libraries.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I convert a URL to a PDF in C#?
You can use IronPDF's ChromePdfRenderer class and its RenderUrlAsPdf method to convert a URL into a PDF in C#. This ensures that the formatting and links are preserved.
What are the installation options for integrating a PDF library into a .NET project?
IronPDF can be easily installed into a .NET project via the NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio, through the Visual Studio Command-Line, or by downloading it directly from the NuGet website.
How does IronPDF handle JavaScript when converting HTML to PDF?
IronPDF supports JavaScript, ensuring that interactive elements are included in the PDF conversion, making the output similar to the original HTML page.
Can I convert eCommerce websites to PDF using a C# library?
Yes, IronPDF allows you to convert eCommerce web pages to PDF, preserving text, images, and product details, by rendering the webpage URL directly to a PDF.
Does IronPDF support advanced PDF features?
IronPDF offers advanced features such as PDF encryption, decryption, merging, splitting, and editing of PDF forms, making it a comprehensive tool for managing PDFs.
Is there a guide for getting started with PDF conversion in C#?
Yes, the IronPDF website provides a detailed installation and usage guide to help you start converting web pages to PDFs in C# effectively.
How does IronPDF ensure the accuracy of internal links in a PDF?
IronPDF maintains the integrity of internal links during conversion, so all links work correctly in the resulting PDF.
Where can I find examples of URL to PDF conversion using C#?
You can find various examples of using IronPDF for URL to PDF conversion in C# on the IronPDF website, which includes specific code samples and tutorials.
Can I use this URL-to-PDF download approach in a .NET 10 C# application?
Absolutely. IronPDF supports .NET 10, so the ChromePdfRenderer.RenderUrlAsPdf examples in this article work in .NET 10 console apps, web APIs, and background services. Create a .NET 10 project, add the IronPdf package from NuGet, and you can download and save PDFs from URLs with the same few lines of C# shown here.
Are there any considerations for running IronPDF in .NET 10 compared to earlier versions?
In .NET 10, IronPDF continues its support for both .NET Framework and .NET/.NET Core APIs, running seamlessly in console, web API, and background service contexts. Ensure you install the latest IronPDF NuGet package compatible with .NET 10, as the rendering engine, ChromePdfRenderer, maintains feature parity including JavaScript handling, asset loading (CSS, images), and link preservation as described in the tutorial (ironpdf.com/blog/using-ironpdf/csharp-download-pdf-from-url-tutorial/).









