How to Print PDF Files in C#

Which Printers Can I Target?

IronPDF supports printing to any installed printer on your Windows system, including network printers, virtual printers like "Microsoft Print to PDF," and physical printers connected via USB or network. To print to network printers specifically, check our network printer troubleshooting guide for additional configuration tips.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/print-pdf-print.cs

using IronPdf;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Test printing</h1>");

// Send the document to "Microsoft Print to PDF" printer
pdf.Print("Microsoft Print to PDF");

What Happens When I Send a PDF to Print?

When you invoke the Print method, IronPDF sends your PDF document to the Windows print spooler, which manages the print queue for the selected printer. The document appears in the print queue with details such as file name, size, and status. The print spooler then processes the document according to the printer's capabilities and current queue position.

When Should I Adjust DPI Settings?

Different print scenarios require different DPI settings. For standard office documents, 150-300 DPI provides good quality. For high-quality graphics or photos, use 600 DPI or higher. Draft prints can use 72-150 DPI to save time and resources. When creating PDFs for digital viewing only, refer to our PDF compression guide to optimize file sizes.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/print-pdf-dpi.cs

using IronPdf;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Test printing</h1>");

// Set custom DPI
pdf.Print(300);

// Specify printing resolution
pdf.Print(10, 10, "Microsoft Print to PDF");

What DPI Values Work Best for Different Print Types?

Let's see how to rasterize and print a PDF file in the next example. The choice of DPI depends on your specific needs:

• Text documents: 300 DPI provides crisp, readable text
• Mixed content (text and images): 300-400 DPI balances quality and file size
• High-quality photos: 600 DPI or higher preserves image detail
• Draft prints: 150 DPI for quick review copies
• Archive quality: 1200 DPI for long-term preservation

Why Use PrintToFile Instead of Regular Saving?

PrintToFile offers unique advantages when you need to simulate the printing process without physical output. It's particularly useful for creating print-ready files, testing print layouts, or generating documents that match exactly what would appear on paper. This method can also help when you need to convert PDFs to a specific format or apply printer-specific transformations.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/print-pdf-print-to-file.cs

using IronPdf;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Test printing</h1>");

// Print to file
pdf.PrintToFile("");

What Are the Benefits of Rasterization?

Rasterization through PrintToFile provides several benefits:

• Consistent appearance: Ensures the PDF looks identical across different viewers
• Font embedding: Converts text to images, eliminating font compatibility issues
• Security: Makes text non-selectable and harder to extract
• Print preview: Shows exactly how the document will appear when printed
• File size optimization: Can reduce file size for complex vector graphics

For working with PDFs in memory without saving to disk, see our PDF to MemoryStream guide.

Which Settings Can I Configure?

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/print-pdf-printer-setting.cs

using IronPdf;
using System.Drawing.Printing;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Testing</h1>");

PrinterSettings settings = new PrinterSettings() {
    PrinterName = "Microsoft Print to PDF",

    // Number of Copy
    Copies = 2,

    // Page range to print
    FromPage = 2,
    ToPage = 4,
};

PrintDocument document = pdf.GetPrintDocument(settings);

// Print
document.Print();

What Does Each PrinterSettings Property Control?

Understanding each PrinterSettings property helps you fine-tune your printing workflow:

• CanDuplex: Indicates whether the printer supports duplex (double-sided) printing. If true, printing on both sides of the paper is possible; otherwise, it cannot.
• Collate: Specifies whether multiple PDF files or copies of a PDF document should be collated (organized in order) when printed. When true, the printer collates the copies; when false, it does not.
• Copies: Sets the number of copies of the PDF document to print. It determines how many identical copies of the document will be printed.
• DefaultPageSettings: Represents the default page settings for the printer, including paper size, margins, and orientation. This is crucial for ensuring your PDFs print correctly on different paper formats.
• Duplex: Specifies the duplex (double-sided) printing mode to use. Options include Duplex.Default, Duplex.Simplex (single-sided), Duplex.Horizontal, and Duplex.Vertical.
• InstalledPrinters: Provides a collection of installed printer names on the system. You can iterate through this collection to get the names of available printers.
• IsDefaultPrinter: Indicates whether the printer specified in PrinterName is set as the default printer on the system.
• IsPlotter: Determines whether the printer is a plotter. Plotter printers are often used for large-format printing, such as for architectural or engineering drawings.
• IsValid: Indicates whether the printer settings are valid and can be used for printing PDF files.
• LandscapeAngle: Specifies the angle (rotation) of landscape orientation for the printer, usually 90 degrees for portrait.
• MaximumCopies: Represents the maximum number of copies that can be specified for printing PDF.
• MaximumPage: Specifies the maximum page number that can be set for printing or conversion.
• MinimumPage: Specifies the minimum page number that can be set for printing or conversion.
• PaperSizes: Provides a collection of supported paper sizes for the printer. You can query this collection to determine available paper sizes.
• PaperSources: Offers a collection of paper sources or trays available for the printer. This can be useful when selecting the paper source for printing PDF files.
• PrinterName: Specifies the name of the printer to use for printing or conversion.
• PrinterResolutions: Provides a collection of available printer resolutions, allowing you to choose the print quality.
• PrintFileName: Gets or sets the file name when printing to a file using PrintToFile.
• PrintRange: Specifies the range of PDF pages to print, such as all pages, a specific range, or a selection. Use this to print specific pages.
• FromPage: Specifies the starting page number for printing or conversion. Printing will begin from this page.
• ToPage: Specifies the ending page number for printing or conversion. Printing will stop after reaching this page.
• PrintToFile: Indicates whether to print to a file instead of a physical printer. When true, you can specify the file path using PrintFileName.
• SupportsColor: Indicates whether the printer supports color printing. If true, color printing is supported; otherwise, it is limited to black and white (monochrome) printing.

How Do I Configure the Default Printer?

Lastly, to configure the default printer to print PDFs, go to the "Printers & Scanners" section of the machine settings. In Windows 10 and 11, navigate to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, and click "Manage" next to your desired printer, then select "Set as default." This ensures IronPDF uses your preferred printer when no specific printer name is provided. For creating PDFs from scratch before printing, explore our complete PDF creation tutorial.