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How to Export a PDF in C# | IronPDF

C# Export to PDF Code Example Tutorial

Curtis Chau
Curtis Chau
Updated:

Use IronPDF to export HTML content to PDF in C# with simple methods like SaveAs(), Stream, and BinaryData. This C# PDF library enables developers to programmatically convert HTML to PDF documents and serve them to web browsers or save to disk.

IronPDF is a C# PDF Library that allows you to use C# to save your HTML as a PDF. It also allows C# / VB developers to edit PDF documents programmatically. Whether you're generating reports, creating invoices, or converting web pages, IronPDF provides a robust solution for PDF generation in C# applications.

Quickstart: Export HTML to PDF in C# with IronPDF

Export your HTML content to PDF in C# using IronPDF. This guide shows you how to convert HTML to a PDF document and save it with just a few lines of code. IronPDF simplifies PDF generation, allowing developers to integrate PDF export functionality into their applications.

Nuget IconGet started making PDFs with NuGet now:

  1. Install IronPDF with NuGet Package Manager

    PM > Install-Package IronPdf

  2. Copy and run this code snippet.

    new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer().RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>HelloPDF</h1>").SaveAs("myExportedFile.pdf");

  3. Deploy to test on your live environment

    Start using IronPDF in your project today with a free trial
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Minimal Workflow (5 steps)

  1. Download and install the C# PDF Export Library from NuGet
  2. Explore the PdfDocument documentation for digital signing methods
  3. Save PDF to memory using a System.IO.MemoryStream
  4. Serve a PDF to the web as binary data rather than HTML
  5. Export the PDF as file


What Are the Different Options for Saving PDFs?

When working with PDF documents in C#, IronPDF provides multiple options for saving and exporting your generated PDFs. Each method serves different use cases, from simple file storage to serving PDFs in web applications. The following sections cover the available options for exporting and saving PDFs in C#.

How to Save PDF to Disk

Use the PdfDocument.SaveAs method to save your PDF to disk. This is the most straightforward approach for desktop applications or when you need to store PDFs permanently on the server.

// Complete example for saving PDF to disk
using IronPdf;

// Initialize the Chrome PDF renderer
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create HTML content with styling
string htmlContent = @"
<html>
<head>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 40px; }
        h1 { color: #333; }
        .content { line-height: 1.6; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Invoice #12345</h1>
    <div class='content'>
        <p>Date: " + DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd") + @"</p>
        <p>Thank you for your business!</p>
    </div>
</body>
</html>";

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

// Save to disk with standard method
pdf.SaveAs("invoice_12345.pdf");

// Save with password protection for sensitive documents
pdf.Password = "secure123";
pdf.SaveAs("protected_invoice_12345.pdf");
// Complete example for saving PDF to disk
using IronPdf;

// Initialize the Chrome PDF renderer
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create HTML content with styling
string htmlContent = @"
<html>
<head>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 40px; }
        h1 { color: #333; }
        .content { line-height: 1.6; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Invoice #12345</h1>
    <div class='content'>
        <p>Date: " + DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd") + @"</p>
        <p>Thank you for your business!</p>
    </div>
</body>
</html>";

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

// Save to disk with standard method
pdf.SaveAs("invoice_12345.pdf");

// Save with password protection for sensitive documents
pdf.Password = "secure123";
pdf.SaveAs("protected_invoice_12345.pdf");
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This method supports adding password protection. Check out the following article to learn more about digitally signing exported PDFs: 'Digitally Sign a PDF Document.' For additional security options, explore our guide on PDF permissions and passwords.

How to Save a PDF File to MemoryStream in C# (System.IO.MemoryStream)

The IronPdf.PdfDocument.Stream property saves the PDF to memory using a System.IO.MemoryStream. This approach is ideal when you need to manipulate the PDF data in memory or pass it to other methods without creating temporary files. Learn more about working with PDF memory streams.

// Example: Save PDF to MemoryStream
using IronPdf;
using System.IO;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Render HTML content
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Monthly Report</h1><p>Sales figures...</p>");

// Get the PDF as a MemoryStream
MemoryStream stream = pdf.Stream;

// Example: Upload to cloud storage or database
// UploadToCloudStorage(stream);

// Example: Email as attachment without saving to disk
// EmailService.SendWithAttachment(stream, "report.pdf");

// Remember to dispose of the stream when done
stream.Dispose();
// Example: Save PDF to MemoryStream
using IronPdf;
using System.IO;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Render HTML content
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Monthly Report</h1><p>Sales figures...</p>");

// Get the PDF as a MemoryStream
MemoryStream stream = pdf.Stream;

// Example: Upload to cloud storage or database
// UploadToCloudStorage(stream);

// Example: Email as attachment without saving to disk
// EmailService.SendWithAttachment(stream, "report.pdf");

// Remember to dispose of the stream when done
stream.Dispose();
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How to Save to Binary Data

The IronPdf.PdfDocument.BinaryData property exports the PDF document as binary data in memory. This is particularly useful for database storage or when integrating with APIs that require byte arrays.

This outputs the PDF as a ByteArray, which is expressed in C# as byte [].

// Example: Convert PDF to binary data
using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure rendering options for better quality
renderer.RenderingOptions = new ChromePdfRenderOptions()
{
    MarginTop = 20,
    MarginBottom = 20,
    MarginLeft = 10,
    MarginRight = 10,
    PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4
};

// Render content to PDF
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Contract Document</h1>");

// Get binary data
byte[] binaryData = pdf.BinaryData;

// Example: Store in database
// database.StorePdfDocument(documentId, binaryData);

// Example: Send via API
// apiClient.UploadDocument(binaryData);
// Example: Convert PDF to binary data
using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Configure rendering options for better quality
renderer.RenderingOptions = new ChromePdfRenderOptions()
{
    MarginTop = 20,
    MarginBottom = 20,
    MarginLeft = 10,
    MarginRight = 10,
    PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4
};

// Render content to PDF
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Contract Document</h1>");

// Get binary data
byte[] binaryData = pdf.BinaryData;

// Example: Store in database
// database.StorePdfDocument(documentId, binaryData);

// Example: Send via API
// apiClient.UploadDocument(binaryData);
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For more advanced scenarios involving binary data manipulation, see our guide on converting PDFs to MemoryStream.

How to Serve from a Web Server to Browser

To serve a PDF to the web, we need to send it as binary data rather than HTML. This is essential for web applications where users need to download or view PDFs directly in their browsers. IronPDF integrates with both MVC and traditional ASP.NET applications.

MVC PDF Export

In modern MVC applications, serving PDFs is straightforward using the FileStreamResult. This approach works well with ASP.NET Core MVC applications:

// MVC Controller method for PDF export
public IActionResult DownloadInvoice(int invoiceId)
{
    // Generate your HTML content
    string htmlContent = GenerateInvoiceHtml(invoiceId);

    // Create PDF using IronPDF
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlContent);

    // Get the PDF stream
    MemoryStream stream = pdf.Stream;

    // Reset stream position
    stream.Position = 0;

    // Return file to browser - will prompt download
    return new FileStreamResult(stream, "application/pdf")
    {
        FileDownloadName = $"invoice_{invoiceId}.pdf"
    };
}

// Alternative: Display PDF in browser instead of downloading
public IActionResult ViewInvoice(int invoiceId)
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(GenerateInvoiceHtml(invoiceId));

    // Return PDF for browser viewing
    return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf");
}
// MVC Controller method for PDF export
public IActionResult DownloadInvoice(int invoiceId)
{
    // Generate your HTML content
    string htmlContent = GenerateInvoiceHtml(invoiceId);

    // Create PDF using IronPDF
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlContent);

    // Get the PDF stream
    MemoryStream stream = pdf.Stream;

    // Reset stream position
    stream.Position = 0;

    // Return file to browser - will prompt download
    return new FileStreamResult(stream, "application/pdf")
    {
        FileDownloadName = $"invoice_{invoiceId}.pdf"
    };
}

// Alternative: Display PDF in browser instead of downloading
public IActionResult ViewInvoice(int invoiceId)
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(GenerateInvoiceHtml(invoiceId));

    // Return PDF for browser viewing
    return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf");
}
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ASP.NET PDF Export

For traditional ASP.NET WebForms applications, you can serve PDFs directly through the Response object:

// ASP.NET WebForms PDF export
protected void ExportButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // Create your PDF document
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

    // Configure rendering options
    renderer.RenderingOptions = new ChromePdfRenderOptions()
    {
        PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.Letter,
        PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true,
        CreatePdfFormsFromHtml = true
    };

    // Generate PDF from current page or custom HTML
    PdfDocument MyPdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(GetReportHtml());

    // Retrieves the PDF binary data
    byte[] Binary = MyPdfDocument.BinaryData;

    // Clears the existing response content
    Response.Clear();

    // Sets the response content type to 'application/octet-stream', suitable for PDF files
    Response.ContentType = "application/octet-stream";

    // Add content disposition header for download
    Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", 
        "attachment; filename=report_" + DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyyMMdd") + ".pdf");

    // Writes the binary data to the response output stream
    Context.Response.OutputStream.Write(Binary, 0, Binary.Length);

    // Flushes the response to send the data to the client
    Response.Flush();

    // End the response
    Response.End();
}
// ASP.NET WebForms PDF export
protected void ExportButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // Create your PDF document
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

    // Configure rendering options
    renderer.RenderingOptions = new ChromePdfRenderOptions()
    {
        PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.Letter,
        PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true,
        CreatePdfFormsFromHtml = true
    };

    // Generate PDF from current page or custom HTML
    PdfDocument MyPdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(GetReportHtml());

    // Retrieves the PDF binary data
    byte[] Binary = MyPdfDocument.BinaryData;

    // Clears the existing response content
    Response.Clear();

    // Sets the response content type to 'application/octet-stream', suitable for PDF files
    Response.ContentType = "application/octet-stream";

    // Add content disposition header for download
    Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", 
        "attachment; filename=report_" + DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyyMMdd") + ".pdf");

    // Writes the binary data to the response output stream
    Context.Response.OutputStream.Write(Binary, 0, Binary.Length);

    // Flushes the response to send the data to the client
    Response.Flush();

    // End the response
    Response.End();
}
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Advanced Export Scenarios

Batch PDF Export

When dealing with multiple PDFs, you can optimize the export process:

// Batch export multiple PDFs to a zip file
public void ExportMultiplePdfsAsZip(List<string> htmlDocuments, string zipFilePath)
{
    using (var zipArchive = ZipFile.Open(zipFilePath, ZipArchiveMode.Create))
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

        for (int i = 0; i < htmlDocuments.Count; i++)
        {
            // Render each HTML document
            PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlDocuments[i]);

            // Add to zip archive
            var entry = zipArchive.CreateEntry($"document_{i + 1}.pdf");
            using (var entryStream = entry.Open())
            {
                pdf.Stream.CopyTo(entryStream);
            }
        }
    }
}
// Batch export multiple PDFs to a zip file
public void ExportMultiplePdfsAsZip(List<string> htmlDocuments, string zipFilePath)
{
    using (var zipArchive = ZipFile.Open(zipFilePath, ZipArchiveMode.Create))
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

        for (int i = 0; i < htmlDocuments.Count; i++)
        {
            // Render each HTML document
            PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlDocuments[i]);

            // Add to zip archive
            var entry = zipArchive.CreateEntry($"document_{i + 1}.pdf");
            using (var entryStream = entry.Open())
            {
                pdf.Stream.CopyTo(entryStream);
            }
        }
    }
}
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Conditional Export Based on User Permissions

// Export with different options based on user role
public byte[] ExportPdfWithPermissions(string htmlContent, UserRole userRole)
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlContent);

    // Apply security based on user role
    if (userRole == UserRole.Guest)
    {
        // Restrict printing and copying for guests
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = false;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
    }
    else if (userRole == UserRole.Standard)
    {
        // Allow printing but not editing
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = true;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserEditing = false;
    }

    return pdf.BinaryData;
}
// Export with different options based on user role
public byte[] ExportPdfWithPermissions(string htmlContent, UserRole userRole)
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlContent);

    // Apply security based on user role
    if (userRole == UserRole.Guest)
    {
        // Restrict printing and copying for guests
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = false;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
    }
    else if (userRole == UserRole.Standard)
    {
        // Allow printing but not editing
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = true;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserEditing = false;
    }

    return pdf.BinaryData;
}
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Best Practices for PDF Export

When exporting PDFs in production applications, consider these best practices:

  1. Memory Management: For large PDFs or high-traffic applications, properly dispose of PDF objects and streams to prevent memory leaks. Consider using async methods for better performance.
  2. Error Handling: Always implement proper error handling when exporting PDFs, especially in web applications where network issues may occur.
  3. Compression: For large PDFs, use PDF compression to reduce file size before serving to users.
  4. Metadata: Set appropriate PDF metadata including title, author, and creation date for better document management.
  5. Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensure your export functionality works across different platforms. IronPDF supports Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Conclusion

IronPDF provides comprehensive options for exporting PDFs in C# applications, from simple file saves to complex web server scenarios. Using the appropriate export method for your use case enables you to efficiently generate and deliver PDF documents to your users while maintaining security and performance standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I export HTML content to PDF in C#?

You can export HTML to PDF in C# using IronPDF's ChromePdfRenderer class. Simply create a renderer instance, use the RenderHtmlAsPdf() method to convert your HTML content, and then save it using the SaveAs() method. IronPDF makes it easy to convert HTML strings, files, or URLs directly to PDF documents.

What are the different methods to save a PDF using C#?

IronPDF provides multiple methods to save PDFs: SaveAs() for saving to disk, Stream for serving PDFs in web applications without creating temporary files, and BinaryData for getting the PDF as a byte array. Each method in IronPDF serves different use cases, from simple file storage to dynamic web delivery.

Can I save a PDF to memory instead of disk?

Yes, IronPDF allows you to save PDFs to memory using System.IO.MemoryStream. This is useful for web applications where you want to serve PDFs directly to users without creating temporary files on the server. You can use the Stream property or convert the PDF to binary data.

How do I add password protection when saving a PDF?

IronPDF enables password protection by setting the Password property on the PdfDocument object before saving. Simply assign a password string to pdf.Password and then use SaveAs() to create a protected PDF file that requires the password to open.

Can I serve a PDF directly to web browsers without saving to disk?

Yes, IronPDF allows you to serve PDFs directly to web browsers as binary data. You can use the BinaryData property to get the PDF as a byte array and serve it through your web application's response stream, eliminating the need for temporary file storage.

What's the simplest way to convert and save HTML as PDF in one line?

IronPDF provides a one-line solution: new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer().RenderHtmlAsPdf("Your HTML").SaveAs("output.pdf"). This creates a renderer, converts HTML to PDF, and saves it to disk in a single statement.

Curtis Chau
Curtis Chau
  Chat with engineering team now
Technical Writer

Curtis Chau holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Carleton University) and specializes in front-end development with expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, and React. Passionate about crafting intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, Curtis enjoys working with modern frameworks and creating well-structured, visually appealing manuals.

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Reviewed by
Jeff Fritz
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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