How to Convert Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC

Updated:June 22, 2025

A View is a component in the ASP.NET framework used for generating HTML markup in web applications. It is a part of the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, commonly used in ASP.NET MVC and ASP.NET Core MVC applications. Views are responsible for presenting data to the user by rendering HTML content dynamically.

ASP.NET Core Web App MVC (Model-View-Controller) is a web application provided by Microsoft for building web applications using ASP.NET Core.

Model: Represents data and business logic, manages data interactions, and communicates with data sources.
View: Presents the user interface, focuses on displaying data, and renders information to the user.
Controller: Handles user input, responds to requests, communicates with the Model, and orchestrates interactions between the Model and the View.

IronPDF simplifies the process of creating PDF files from Views within an ASP.NET Core MVC project. This makes PDF generation easy and direct in ASP.NET Core MVC.

How to Convert Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC

Download the C# library for converting Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC
Add a model class for the data
Edit the "HomeController.cs" file and use the RenderRazorViewToPdf method
Create a new View and edit the ".cshtml" file to render the PDF
Download the sample project for a quick start

IronPDF Extension Package

The IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core package is an extension of the main IronPdf package. Both the IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core and IronPdf packages are needed to render Views to PDF documents in an ASP.NET Core MVC.

Install-Package IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core

Render Views to PDFs

You'll need an ASP.NET Core Web App (Model-View-Controller) project to convert Views into PDF files.

Add a Model Class

Navigate to the "Models" folder.
Create a new C# class file named "Person." This class will act as a model to represent individual data. Use the following code snippet:

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/cshtml-to-pdf-mvc-core-model.cs

namespace ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Models
{
    public class Person
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public string Title { get; set; }
        public string Description { get; set; }
    }
}

Namespace ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Models
	Public Class Person
		Public Property Id() As Integer
		Public Property Name() As String
		Public Property Title() As String
		Public Property Description() As String
	End Class
End Namespace

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Edit the Controller

Navigate to the "Controllers" folder and open the "HomeController" file. We are going to make changes only to the HomeController and add the "Persons" action. Please refer to the code below for guidance:

The code below first instantiates the ChromePdfRenderer class, passing an IRazorViewRenderer, the path to our "Persons.cshtml," and the List that contains the required data to the RenderRazorViewToPdf method. Users can utilize RenderingOptions to access a range of features, such as adding custom text, including HTML headers and footers in the resulting PDF, defining custom margins, and applying page numbers.

Please noteThe PDF document can be viewed in the browser using the following code: File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf"). However, downloading the PDF after viewing it in the browser results in a damaged PDF document.

using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using System.Diagnostics;
using ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Models;

namespace ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Controllers
{
    public class HomeController : Controller
    {
        private readonly ILogger<HomeController> _logger;
        private readonly IRazorViewRenderer _viewRenderService;
        private readonly IHttpContextAccessor _httpContextAccessor;

        public HomeController(ILogger<HomeController> logger, IRazorViewRenderer viewRenderService, IHttpContextAccessor httpContextAccessor)
        {
            _logger = logger;
            _viewRenderService = viewRenderService;
            _httpContextAccessor = httpContextAccessor;
        }

        public IActionResult Index()
        {
            return View();
        }

        public async Task<IActionResult> Persons()
        {
            // Example list of persons
            var persons = new List<Person>
            {
                new Person { Name = "Alice", Title = "Mrs.", Description = "Software Engineer" },
                new Person { Name = "Bob", Title = "Mr.", Description = "Software Engineer" },
                new Person { Name = "Charlie", Title = "Mr.", Description = "Software Engineer" }
            };

            // Check if the request method is POST
            if (_httpContextAccessor.HttpContext.Request.Method == HttpMethod.Post.Method)
            {
                // Create a new PDF renderer
                ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

                // Render View to PDF document
                PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderRazorViewToPdf(_viewRenderService, "Views/Home/Persons.cshtml", persons);

                Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", "inline");

                // Output PDF document
                return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "viewToPdfMVCCore.pdf");
            }

            return View(persons);
        }

        public IActionResult Privacy()
        {
            return View();
        }

        [ResponseCache(Duration = 0, Location = ResponseCacheLocation.None, NoStore = true)]
        public IActionResult Error()
        {
            return View(new ErrorViewModel { RequestId = Activity.Current?.Id ?? HttpContext.TraceIdentifier });
        }
    }
}

using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using System.Diagnostics;
using ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Models;

namespace ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Controllers
{
    public class HomeController : Controller
    {
        private readonly ILogger<HomeController> _logger;
        private readonly IRazorViewRenderer _viewRenderService;
        private readonly IHttpContextAccessor _httpContextAccessor;

        public HomeController(ILogger<HomeController> logger, IRazorViewRenderer viewRenderService, IHttpContextAccessor httpContextAccessor)
        {
            _logger = logger;
            _viewRenderService = viewRenderService;
            _httpContextAccessor = httpContextAccessor;
        }

        public IActionResult Index()
        {
            return View();
        }

        public async Task<IActionResult> Persons()
        {
            // Example list of persons
            var persons = new List<Person>
            {
                new Person { Name = "Alice", Title = "Mrs.", Description = "Software Engineer" },
                new Person { Name = "Bob", Title = "Mr.", Description = "Software Engineer" },
                new Person { Name = "Charlie", Title = "Mr.", Description = "Software Engineer" }
            };

            // Check if the request method is POST
            if (_httpContextAccessor.HttpContext.Request.Method == HttpMethod.Post.Method)
            {
                // Create a new PDF renderer
                ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

                // Render View to PDF document
                PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderRazorViewToPdf(_viewRenderService, "Views/Home/Persons.cshtml", persons);

                Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", "inline");

                // Output PDF document
                return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "viewToPdfMVCCore.pdf");
            }

            return View(persons);
        }

        public IActionResult Privacy()
        {
            return View();
        }

        [ResponseCache(Duration = 0, Location = ResponseCacheLocation.None, NoStore = true)]
        public IActionResult Error()
        {
            return View(new ErrorViewModel { RequestId = Activity.Current?.Id ?? HttpContext.TraceIdentifier });
        }
    }
}

Imports IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core
Imports Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Models

Namespace ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample.Controllers
	Public Class HomeController
		Inherits Controller

		Private ReadOnly _logger As ILogger(Of HomeController)
		Private ReadOnly _viewRenderService As IRazorViewRenderer
		Private ReadOnly _httpContextAccessor As IHttpContextAccessor

		Public Sub New(ByVal logger As ILogger(Of HomeController), ByVal viewRenderService As IRazorViewRenderer, ByVal httpContextAccessor As IHttpContextAccessor)
			_logger = logger
			_viewRenderService = viewRenderService
			_httpContextAccessor = httpContextAccessor
		End Sub

		Public Function Index() As IActionResult
			Return View()
		End Function

		Public Async Function Persons() As Task(Of IActionResult)
			' Example list of persons
'INSTANT VB NOTE: The local variable persons was renamed since Visual Basic will not allow local variables with the same name as their enclosing function or property:
			Dim persons_Conflict = New List(Of Person) From {
				New Person With {
					.Name = "Alice",
					.Title = "Mrs.",
					.Description = "Software Engineer"
				},
				New Person With {
					.Name = "Bob",
					.Title = "Mr.",
					.Description = "Software Engineer"
				},
				New Person With {
					.Name = "Charlie",
					.Title = "Mr.",
					.Description = "Software Engineer"
				}
			}

			' Check if the request method is POST
			If _httpContextAccessor.HttpContext.Request.Method = HttpMethod.Post.Method Then
				' Create a new PDF renderer
				Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

				' Render View to PDF document
				Dim pdf As PdfDocument = renderer.RenderRazorViewToPdf(_viewRenderService, "Views/Home/Persons.cshtml", persons_Conflict)

				Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", "inline")

				' Output PDF document
				Return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "viewToPdfMVCCore.pdf")
			End If

			Return View(persons_Conflict)
		End Function

		Public Function Privacy() As IActionResult
			Return View()
		End Function

		<ResponseCache(Duration := 0, Location := ResponseCacheLocation.None, NoStore := True)>
		Public Function [Error]() As IActionResult
			Return View(New ErrorViewModel With {.RequestId = If(Activity.Current?.Id, HttpContext.TraceIdentifier)})
		End Function
	End Class
End Namespace

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After using the RenderRazorViewToPdf method, you'll receive a PdfDocument object that's open to further enhancements and modifications. You have the flexibility to convert the PDF to PDF/A or PDF/UA formats, add your digital signature to the generated PDF, or merge and split PDF documents as needed. Additionally, the library allows you to rotate pages, insert annotations or bookmarks, and imprint unique watermarks onto your PDF files.

Add a View

Right-click on the newly added Person action and select "Add View."

Right-click on Persons action

Choose "Razor View" for the new Scaffolded item.

Select scaffold

Select the "List" template and the "Person" model class.

Add view

This will create a .cshtml file named "Persons."

Navigate to the "Views" folder -> "Home" folder -> "Persons.cshtml" file.

To add a button that invokes the "Persons" action, use the code below:

@using (Html.BeginForm("Persons", "Home", FormMethod.Post))
{
    <input type="submit" value="Print Person" />
}

@using (Html.BeginForm("Persons", "Home", FormMethod.Post))
{
    <input type="submit" value="Print Person" />
}

HTML

In the same "Views" folder navigate to the "Shared" folder -> _Layout.cshtml. Place the "Person" navigation item after "Home".

Make sure the value for the asp-action attribute matches exactly with our file name, which in this case is "Persons".

<header>
    <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-sm navbar-toggleable-sm navbar-light bg-white border-bottom box-shadow mb-3">
        <div class="container-fluid">
            <a class="navbar-brand" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Index">ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample</a>
            <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-bs-toggle="collapse" data-bs-target=".navbar-collapse" aria-controls="navbarSupportedContent"
                    aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation">
                <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
            </button>
            <div class="navbar-collapse collapse d-sm-inline-flex justify-content-between">
                <ul class="navbar-nav flex-grow-1">
                    <li class="nav-item">
                        <a class="nav-link text-dark" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Index">Home</a>
                    </li>
                    <li class="nav-item">
                        <a class="nav-link text-dark" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Persons">Person</a>
                    </li>
                    <li class="nav-item">
                        <a class="nav-link text-dark" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Privacy">Privacy</a>
                    </li>
                </ul>
            </div>
        </div>
    </nav>
</header>

<header>
    <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-sm navbar-toggleable-sm navbar-light bg-white border-bottom box-shadow mb-3">
        <div class="container-fluid">
            <a class="navbar-brand" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Index">ViewToPdfMVCCoreSample</a>
            <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-bs-toggle="collapse" data-bs-target=".navbar-collapse" aria-controls="navbarSupportedContent"
                    aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation">
                <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
            </button>
            <div class="navbar-collapse collapse d-sm-inline-flex justify-content-between">
                <ul class="navbar-nav flex-grow-1">
                    <li class="nav-item">
                        <a class="nav-link text-dark" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Index">Home</a>
                    </li>
                    <li class="nav-item">
                        <a class="nav-link text-dark" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Persons">Person</a>
                    </li>
                    <li class="nav-item">
                        <a class="nav-link text-dark" asp-area="" asp-controller="Home" asp-action="Privacy">Privacy</a>
                    </li>
                </ul>
            </div>
        </div>
    </nav>
</header>

HTML

Edit Program.cs File

We will be registering the IHttpContextAccessor and IRazorViewRenderer interface to the dependency injection (DI) container. Please check the code below for your reference.

using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();

builder.Services.AddSingleton<IHttpContextAccessor, HttpContextAccessor>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ITempDataProvider, CookieTempDataProvider>();

// Register IRazorViewRenderer here
builder.Services.AddSingleton<IRazorViewRenderer, RazorViewRenderer>();

var app = builder.Build();

// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseExceptionHandler("/Home/Error");
    // The default HSTS value is 30 days. You may want to change this for production scenarios, see https://aka.ms/aspnetcore-hsts.
    app.UseHsts();
}

app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseStaticFiles();

app.UseRouting();

app.UseAuthorization();

app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}");

app.Run();

using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();

builder.Services.AddSingleton<IHttpContextAccessor, HttpContextAccessor>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ITempDataProvider, CookieTempDataProvider>();

// Register IRazorViewRenderer here
builder.Services.AddSingleton<IRazorViewRenderer, RazorViewRenderer>();

var app = builder.Build();

// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseExceptionHandler("/Home/Error");
    // The default HSTS value is 30 days. You may want to change this for production scenarios, see https://aka.ms/aspnetcore-hsts.
    app.UseHsts();
}

app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseStaticFiles();

app.UseRouting();

app.UseAuthorization();

app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}");

app.Run();

Imports IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core
Imports Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures

Private builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args)

' Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews()

builder.Services.AddSingleton(Of IHttpContextAccessor, HttpContextAccessor)()
builder.Services.AddSingleton(Of ITempDataProvider, CookieTempDataProvider)()

' Register IRazorViewRenderer here
builder.Services.AddSingleton(Of IRazorViewRenderer, RazorViewRenderer)()

Dim app = builder.Build()

' Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
If Not app.Environment.IsDevelopment() Then
	app.UseExceptionHandler("/Home/Error")
	' The default HSTS value is 30 days. You may want to change this for production scenarios, see https://aka.ms/aspnetcore-hsts.
	app.UseHsts()
End If

app.UseHttpsRedirection()
app.UseStaticFiles()

app.UseRouting()

app.UseAuthorization()

app.MapControllerRoute(name:= "default", pattern:= "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}")

app.Run()

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Run the Project

This will show you how to run the project and generate a PDF document.

Download ASP.NET Core MVC Project

You can download the complete code for this guide. It comes as a zipped file that you can open in Visual Studio as an ASP.NET Core Web App (Model-View-Controller) project.

Download the ASP.NET Core MVC Sample Project

Ready to see what else you can do? Check out our tutorial page here: Convert PDFs

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I convert CSHTML to PDF in ASP.NET Core MVC?

You can use IronPDF's `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method to convert CSHTML files to PDFs within an ASP.NET Core MVC project.

What steps are required to set up PDF generation in an ASP.NET Core MVC project?

To set up PDF generation, download the IronPDF library via NuGet, create a model class, edit the HomeController to use the `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method, and set up dependency injection for `IHttpContextAccessor` and `IRazorViewRenderer` in the 'Program.cs' file.

Why is dependency injection necessary for PDF conversion in ASP.NET Core?

Dependency injection for `IHttpContextAccessor` and `IRazorViewRenderer` is necessary to properly render Views as PDFs, ensuring that the Razor View rendering context is correctly established.

Can I customize the PDF output when converting Views in ASP.NET Core MVC?

Yes, using IronPDF, you can customize the PDF output by adjusting headers, footers, margins, and other settings within the `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method.

What is the role of the `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method in PDF conversion?

The `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method is essential for converting Razor Views to PDF documents, providing options to customize the PDF's appearance and content.

How can I ensure my ASP.NET Core MVC project supports PDF conversion?

Ensure your project supports PDF conversion by installing the IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core package and configuring the necessary services and models within your project.

Is it possible to add interactive elements to PDFs generated from Views?

Yes, after generating a PDF using IronPDF, you can add interactive elements such as forms, links, and bookmarks to enhance user interaction within the document.

Where can I find a sample project for converting Views to PDFs?

You can download a sample project provided in the guide, which demonstrates the complete setup for converting Views to PDFs in an ASP.NET Core Web App.

How do I install IronPDF in my ASP.NET Core MVC project?

Install IronPDF by using the NuGet package manager with the command: Install-Package IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core.

Chaknith Bin

Chat with engineering team now

Software Engineer

Chaknith works on IronXL and IronBarcode. He has deep expertise in C# and .NET, helping improve the software and support customers. His insights from user interactions contribute to better products, documentation, and overall experience.

Jeffrey T. Fritz

Principal Program Manager - .NET Community Team

Jeff is also a Principal Program Manager for the .NET and Visual Studio teams. He is the executive producer of the .NET Conf virtual conference series and hosts 'Fritz and Friends' a live stream for developers that airs twice weekly where he talks tech and writes code together with viewers. Jeff writes workshops, presentations, and plans content for the largest Microsoft developer events including Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, .NET Conf, and the Microsoft MVP Summit

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On This Page

How to Convert Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC

How to Convert Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC

IronPDF Extension Package

Render Views to PDFs

Add a Model Class

Edit the Controller

Add a View

Add a Section to the Top Navigation Bar

Edit Program.cs File

Run the Project

Download ASP.NET Core MVC Project

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I convert CSHTML to PDF in ASP.NET Core MVC?

What steps are required to set up PDF generation in an ASP.NET Core MVC project?

Why is dependency injection necessary for PDF conversion in ASP.NET Core?

Can I customize the PDF output when converting Views in ASP.NET Core MVC?

What is the role of the `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method in PDF conversion?

How can I ensure my ASP.NET Core MVC project supports PDF conversion?

Is it possible to add interactive elements to PDFs generated from Views?

Where can I find a sample project for converting Views to PDFs?

How do I install IronPDF in my ASP.NET Core MVC project?

Ready to Get Started?

Start Free 30 Day Trial

On This Page

How to Convert Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC

How to Convert Views to PDFs in ASP.NET Core MVC

IronPDF Extension Package

Install with NuGet

Render Views to PDFs

Add a Model Class

Edit the Controller

Add a View

Add a Section to the Top Navigation Bar

Edit Program.cs File

Run the Project

Download ASP.NET Core MVC Project

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I convert CSHTML to PDF in ASP.NET Core MVC?

What steps are required to set up PDF generation in an ASP.NET Core MVC project?

Why is dependency injection necessary for PDF conversion in ASP.NET Core?

Can I customize the PDF output when converting Views in ASP.NET Core MVC?

What is the role of the `RenderRazorViewToPdf` method in PDF conversion?

How can I ensure my ASP.NET Core MVC project supports PDF conversion?

Is it possible to add interactive elements to PDFs generated from Views?

Where can I find a sample project for converting Views to PDFs?

How do I install IronPDF in my ASP.NET Core MVC project?

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