How to Add Images to PDFs

by Chaknith Bin

Embedding an image in a PDF means placing the image directly within the PDF file, ensuring it's self-contained and doesn't rely on external sources. This allows the PDF to display the image seamlessly, even without an internet connection or external files.

IronPdf is capable of rendering HTML strings, files, and web URLs to PDF. By using this method, images can be embedded in HTML and then converted into a PDF document.

How to Add Images to PDFs

Download the C# library to add images to PDFs
Prepare the image file to be embedded
Use the <img> tag to embed image in HTML
Render the HTML to PDF using the RenderHtmlAsPdf method
Embed the image using the base64 data type

or

Embed Image in PDF Example

To embed an image in a PDF, you must first include the image in HTML using the <img> tag. Then, use the RenderHtmlAsPdf method to convert the HTML to PDF. If you have an existing PDF, you can stamp the image onto the PDF document using either an image or HTML stamper.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/add-images-to-pdfs-embed-image.cs

using IronPdf;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

string html = @"<img src='https://ironsoftware.com/img/products/ironpdf-logo-text-dotnet.svg'>";

// Render HTML to PDF
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

// Export PDF
pdf.SaveAs("embedImage.pdf");

Imports IronPdf

Private renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

Private html As String = "<img src='https://ironsoftware.com/img/products/ironpdf-logo-text-dotnet.svg'>"

' Render HTML to PDF
Private pdf As PdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)

' Export PDF
pdf.SaveAs("embedImage.pdf")

VB C#

Embed with Base64 Example

To use base64 for embedding an image in HTML, you must first obtain the binary data of the image either by reading the image file or receiving it through a network request. Use the Convert.ToBase64String method in Microsoft .NET to convert the binary data to base64. Construct the image tag in HTML using "data:image/svg+xml;base64," before the base64 data. You may have noticed that the image type is being specified before the base64 data. Visit the MDN Web Docs for more information on image format types.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/add-images-to-pdfs-base64-image.cs

using IronPdf;
using System;
using System.IO;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Import image file binary data
byte[] binaryData = File.ReadAllBytes("ironpdf-logo-text-dotnet.svg");

// Convert the binary data to base 64
string imgDataUri = Convert.ToBase64String(binaryData);

// Embed in HTML
string html = $"<img src='data:image/svg+xml;base64,{imgDataUri}'>";

// Convert HTML to PDF
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

// Export the PDF
pdf.SaveAs("embedImageBase64.pdf");

Imports IronPdf
Imports System
Imports System.IO

Private renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

' Import image file binary data
Private binaryData() As Byte = File.ReadAllBytes("ironpdf-logo-text-dotnet.svg")

' Convert the binary data to base 64
Private imgDataUri As String = Convert.ToBase64String(binaryData)

' Embed in HTML
Private html As String = $"<img src='data:image/svg+xml;base64,{imgDataUri}'>"

' Convert HTML to PDF
Private pdf As PdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)

' Export the PDF
pdf.SaveAs("embedImageBase64.pdf")

VB C#