HTML is everywhere—from dashboards and email templates to dynamic invoices and reports. But when you need to preserve that content in a secure, portable, and printable format, converting HTML to PDF file format is the way to go. While free HTML to PDF converters can be a convenient, they often lack the security, strengths, and features that commercial options such as IronPDF offer.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how C# developers can convert HTML content into pixel-perfect PDF files using IronPDF. Whether you’re working with HTML strings, local files, or full URLs, this guide shows you how to build beautiful, styled PDFs programmatically—without the hassle.

Why Convert HTML to PDF?

While HTML code is great for web-based UI and layouts, PDF (Portable Document Format) is still the standard for sharing, printing, and archiving content. Converting HTML to PDF in C# enables you to:

1. Generate styled invoices or receipts from dynamic data
2. Create downloadable reports or eBooks
3. Preserve application UIs in a static, sharable format
4. Ensure document consistency across platforms
5. Enable long-term archival with print-ready formatting

For .NET developers, having a reliable HTML to PDF C# converter that handles modern styling, custom layouts, and JavaScript rendering is essential.

Meet IronPDF – The .NET HTML-to-PDF Powerhouse

IronPDF is a robust .NET library designed to convert, generate, and edit PDF documents. Unlike older tools, IronPDF uses a real Chromium rendering engine under the hood, so you can render HTML content into high-quality PDF files in just a few lines of code. Beyond its powerful features, IronPDF also provides extensive documentation, complete with code snippets and output images, so you can hit the ground running with expert skills.

IronPDF's features and support includes:

1. Support for modern web assets (CSS, JS, Web Fonts, etc.)
2. Support for HTML to PDF conversion, as well as other file types (DOCX, RTF, XML, etc.)
3. Background images, custom headers/footers, and custom PDF sizing
4. PDF watermarking, text extraction, and other strong PDF editing tools

Best of all, it works with .NET 8, 7, 6, and Framework 4.6.2+, and is cross-platform compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Azure, and Docker. Use this powerful tool to easily convert HTML content to PDF format, manipulate existing PDF files, and more, no matter what environment or platform you're working in.

🚀 Getting Started: Basic HTML to PDF Conversion

Here’s how to convert HTML string into a PDF using IronPDF:

using IronPdf;

using IronPdf.Rendering;

 

class Program

{

static void Main()

{

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

 

// Set rendering options

renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4;

renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 30;

renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 30;

renderer.RenderingOptions.Title = "Invoice";

renderer.RenderingOptions.PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true;

 

// Sample styled HTML content

string html = @"

body {

font-family: Arial, sans-serif;

padding: 40px;

background-color: #f9f9f9;

}

.invoice-box {

background: white;

border: 1px solid #eee;

padding: 30px;

max-width: 800px;

margin: auto;

box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);

}

h1 {

color: #333;

font-size: 28px;

border-bottom: 2px solid #eee;

padding-bottom: 10px;

}

p {

font-size: 16px;

color: #555;

}

.total {

margin-top: 30px;

font-size: 18px;

font-weight: bold;

color: #222;

}

Invoice

Order #: 12345

Date: June 18, 2025

Customer: Jane Doe

Item: Premium Software License

Total: $199.99

";

 

var document = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

 

// Save the styled PDF document named "Styled_Invoice"

document.SaveAs("Styled_Invoice.pdf");

}

}

The above code produces a styled, pixel-perfect PDF rendered from simple HTML string — complete with CSS styling, layout, and visual fidelity. This demonstrates how easily IronPDF can handle PDF creation from HTML content. It's ideal for scenarios where HTML templates are rendered dynamically on the backend. You can easily adjust this so it converts HTML files instead of the basic string we used.

Resultant PDF

Convert Existing URLs and Local HTML Documents

IronPDF lets you convert entire websites or static HTML files with ease:

using IronPdf;

 

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

 

var pdfFromUrl = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://reddit.com");

var pdfFromFile = renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf("website.html");

 

pdfFromUrl.SaveAs("FromUrl.pdf");

pdfFromFile.SaveAs("FromFile.pdf");

This is great for generating downloadable invoices, working with HTML forms, archiving online forms, or turning web pages into PDF files for offline access. As you can see in the output PDF file below, IronPDF is capable of maintaining the quality of the original content in your specified URL input.

Rendered PDF

Customize Layout, Orientation, and Paper Size

Need landscape mode? Custom dimensions? Zoom control? IronPDF provides full print-style layout control:

renderer.RenderingOptions.SetCustomPaperSizeInInches(8.5, 14); // Legal size

renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Landscape;

renderer.RenderingOptions.Zoom = 120;

IronPDF behaves like a print preview—so your @media print styles and inline CSS will be rendered exactly as you expect. The RenderingOptions class offers a variety of options so you can customize your PDF to best fit your needs. From custom font size, to the size of the margins. With IronPDF, you will have full control over the entire process.

JavaScript Support for Interactive Content

IronPDF doesn’t just screenshot HTML—it fully renders JavaScript and AJAX content, including:

1. Charts (Chart.js, D3.js)
2. Dynamic tables or content
3. React, Angular, and Vue.js apps

You can even configure wait times for complex pages:

renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;

renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.JavaScript(3000);

This ensures your content loads fully before it’s rendered to PDF.

Deployment and Compatibility

IronPDF runs in:

1. .NET 6, 7, 8 and Framework 4.6.2+
2. Windows, macOS, and Linux
3. Docker, Azure, AWS

No external executables or services required. Just install via the NuGet Package Manager Console command line:

Install-Package IronPdf

Alternatively, in your Visual Studio project, go to Tools > NuGet Package Manager, and select Manage NuGet Packages for Solution.

Then, search for IronPDF:

And click "Install"

Advanced Use Cases to Explore

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can expand IronPDF usage for:

1. Batch document generation from HTML templates
2. Secured contracts with digital signatures
3. Archivable newsletters and gated PDF files
4. Custom-styled eBooks for lead magnets
5. Interactive financial reports with embedded JS charts

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a reliable way to convert HTML to PDF in C#, IronPDF is one of the best libraries available. It provides:

1. Support for HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, to generate PDF documents from any web page or HTML content
2. High-fidelity rendering using a real browser engine
3. Easy integration into .NET projects and deployment across multiple platforms
4. Tools for manipulating PDF documents
5. Support for advanced layouts, print styles, and templates

Unlike free HTML-to-PDF Conversion tools, IronPDF offers better accuracy, more features, and smoother developer experience—ensuring your documents remain readable, accurate, and professional.

Try IronPDF for Free

Ready to start converting HTML into beautiful PDF files? Download the free IronPDF trial and see how simple it is to integrate into your next .NET project.