Missing Dependencies in IronPDF Lambda Deployment

Curtis Chau

Updated: July 6, 2026

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  # Missing Dependencies in IronPDF Lambda Deployment IronPDF fails to initialize when deployed to AWS Lambda, producing errors similar to: ```txt IronPDF failed to start: required native binaries not found at the expected path. Unable to load shared library or one of its dependencies. Error: Required IronPDF native dependencies were not found in the deployment package. ``` Missing native dependencies in Lambda deployments are caused by one or more of the following: - **Missing permissions:** the Lambda execution role or file system path lacks Read/Write/Execute permissions required by IronPDF. - **Absent native binaries:** native IronPDF libraries were not included in the deployment package. - **Incorrect Dockerfile:** the Dockerfile does not install the correct OS-level dependencies for the Lambda base image. ## Solution Switch to the `IronPdf.Slim` NuGet package. With `IronPdf.Installation.AutomaticallyDownloadNativeBinaries` set to `true`, `IronPdf.Slim` downloads the correct native binaries for the detected base image at runtime, eliminating the need to bundle platform-specific binaries manually. This requires outbound internet/NuGet access from the Lambda environment; without the flag enabled the same missing-binary error can persist: ```csharp // NuGet: IronPdf.Slim // Enable runtime download of the appropriate native runtime // for the Lambda execution environment. IronPdf.Installation.AutomaticallyDownloadNativeBinaries = true; IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("IRONPDF_LICENSE_KEY"); var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer(); var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Hello from Lambda</h1>"); pdf.SaveAs("/tmp/output.pdf"); ``` **Test directly in Lambda:** do not rely on local testing to verify native dependency resolution. Running the project locally downloads Windows-compatible or host-OS-compatible binaries instead of the Lambda-compatible ones, producing a false pass. **Retrieve log files** from AWS for diagnostic details when the issue persists after switching to `IronPdf.Slim`. Enable logging before the first IronPDF call: ```csharp IronPdf.Logging.Logger.EnableDebugging = true; IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LogFilePath = "/tmp/ironpdf.log"; IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingMode = IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingModes.All; ``` Attach `/tmp/ironpdf.log` and the Lambda CloudWatch log output to your support request. See also: [deploying IronPDF to AWS Lambda with Docker](https://ironpdf.com/troubleshooting/aws-lambda-docker-libnss3/) and [how to get IronPDF log files in AWS](https://ironpdf.com/troubleshooting/aws-log-files/).

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IronPDF fails to initialize when deployed to AWS Lambda, producing errors similar to:

IronPDF failed to start: required native binaries not found at the expected path.
Unable to load shared library or one of its dependencies.
Error: Required IronPDF native dependencies were not found in the deployment package.

IronPDF failed to start: required native binaries not found at the expected path.
Unable to load shared library or one of its dependencies.
Error: Required IronPDF native dependencies were not found in the deployment package.

Missing native dependencies in Lambda deployments are caused by one or more of the following:

• Missing permissions: the Lambda execution role or file system path lacks Read/Write/Execute permissions required by IronPDF.
• Absent native binaries: native IronPDF libraries were not included in the deployment package.
• Incorrect Dockerfile: the Dockerfile does not install the correct OS-level dependencies for the Lambda base image.

Solution

Switch to the IronPdf.Slim NuGet package. With IronPdf.Installation.AutomaticallyDownloadNativeBinaries set to true, IronPdf.Slim downloads the correct native binaries for the detected base image at runtime, eliminating the need to bundle platform-specific binaries manually. This requires outbound internet/NuGet access from the Lambda environment; without the flag enabled the same missing-binary error can persist:

// NuGet: IronPdf.Slim
// Enable runtime download of the appropriate native runtime
// for the Lambda execution environment.
IronPdf.Installation.AutomaticallyDownloadNativeBinaries = true;
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("IRONPDF_LICENSE_KEY");

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Hello from Lambda</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("/tmp/output.pdf");

// NuGet: IronPdf.Slim
// Enable runtime download of the appropriate native runtime
// for the Lambda execution environment.
IronPdf.Installation.AutomaticallyDownloadNativeBinaries = true;
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("IRONPDF_LICENSE_KEY");

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Hello from Lambda</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("/tmp/output.pdf");

Test directly in Lambda: do not rely on local testing to verify native dependency resolution. Running the project locally downloads Windows-compatible or host-OS-compatible binaries instead of the Lambda-compatible ones, producing a false pass.

Retrieve log files from AWS for diagnostic details when the issue persists after switching to IronPdf.Slim. Enable logging before the first IronPDF call:

IronPdf.Logging.Logger.EnableDebugging = true;
IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LogFilePath = "/tmp/ironpdf.log";
IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingMode = IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingModes.All;

IronPdf.Logging.Logger.EnableDebugging = true;
IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LogFilePath = "/tmp/ironpdf.log";
IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingMode = IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingModes.All;

Imports IronPdf.Logging

Logger.EnableDebugging = True
Logger.LogFilePath = "/tmp/ironpdf.log"
Logger.LoggingMode = Logger.LoggingModes.All

Imports IronPdf.Logging

Logger.EnableDebugging = True
Logger.LogFilePath = "/tmp/ironpdf.log"
Logger.LoggingMode = Logger.LoggingModes.All

Attach /tmp/ironpdf.log and the Lambda CloudWatch log output to your support request. See also: deploying IronPDF to AWS Lambda with Docker and how to get IronPDF log files in AWS.

Curtis Chau

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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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