Export Word document to PDF

The following example shows you how to export a Word document to PDF format. The SaveAsPdf method preserves text formatting, paragraphs, tables, hyperlinks, images, numbered lists, bulleted lists, colors, and other document elements.

C# example - Export existing document

using System;
using Independentsoft.Office.Word;

namespace Sample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Open existing Word document
            WordDocument doc = new WordDocument("c:\\test\\input.docx");

            // Export to PDF
            doc.SaveAsPdf("c:\\test\\output.pdf");

            Console.WriteLine("Document exported to PDF successfully!");
        }
    }
}

C# example - Create and export to PDF

using System;
using Independentsoft.Office.Word;

namespace Sample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

            // Add heading
            Paragraph heading = new Paragraph();
            Run headingRun = new Run("Document Title");
            headingRun.Bold = true;
            headingRun.FontSize = 24;
            headingRun.Color = new Color("0000FF");
            heading.Add(headingRun);
            doc.Body.Add(heading);

            // Add paragraph with formatting
            Paragraph para = new Paragraph();
            Run run1 = new Run("This is ");
            para.Add(run1);

            Run run2 = new Run("bold");
            run2.Bold = true;
            para.Add(run2);

            Run run3 = new Run(" and ");
            para.Add(run3);

            Run run4 = new Run("italic");
            run4.Italic = true;
            para.Add(run4);

            Run run5 = new Run(" text.");
            para.Add(run5);
            doc.Body.Add(para);

            // Add numbered list
            Paragraph numberedItem1 = new Paragraph();
            numberedItem1.NumberingReference = new NumberingReference();
            numberedItem1.NumberingReference.NumberingID = 1;
            numberedItem1.NumberingReference.NumberingLevelID = 0;
            Run numRun1 = new Run("First numbered item");
            numberedItem1.Add(numRun1);
            doc.Body.Add(numberedItem1);

            Paragraph numberedItem2 = new Paragraph();
            numberedItem2.NumberingReference = new NumberingReference();
            numberedItem2.NumberingReference.NumberingID = 1;
            numberedItem2.NumberingReference.NumberingLevelID = 0;
            Run numRun2 = new Run("Second numbered item");
            numberedItem2.Add(numRun2);
            doc.Body.Add(numberedItem2);

            // Add bulleted list
            Paragraph bulletItem1 = new Paragraph();
            bulletItem1.NumberingReference = new NumberingReference();
            bulletItem1.NumberingReference.NumberingID = 2;
            bulletItem1.NumberingReference.NumberingLevelID = 0;
            Run bulletRun1 = new Run("First bullet point");
            bulletItem1.Add(bulletRun1);
            doc.Body.Add(bulletItem1);

            Paragraph bulletItem2 = new Paragraph();
            bulletItem2.NumberingReference = new NumberingReference();
            bulletItem2.NumberingReference.NumberingID = 2;
            bulletItem2.NumberingReference.NumberingLevelID = 0;
            Run bulletRun2 = new Run("Second bullet point");
            bulletItem2.Add(bulletRun2);
            doc.Body.Add(bulletItem2);

            // Save as PDF
            doc.SaveAsPdf("c:\\test\\output.pdf");

            Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!");
        }
    }
}

VB example

Imports System
Imports Independentsoft.Office.Word

Module Module1
    Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)

        ' Open existing Word document
        Dim doc As WordDocument = New WordDocument("c:\test\input.docx")

        ' Export to PDF
        doc.SaveAsPdf("c:\test\output.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("Document exported to PDF successfully!")

    End Sub
End Module

Features supported in PDF export:

Text Formatting:

Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough
Font properties (family, size, color)
Superscript and subscript with proper sizing
Text highlighting with all 17 colors (yellow, green, cyan, magenta, blue, red, dark variants, gray, black, white)
Text colors (RGB support)

Paragraphs:

Alignment (left, center, right, justify with proper word spacing)
Indentation (left, right, first-line, hanging)
Spacing (before/after paragraph, custom line spacing)
Paragraph shading (background colors)
Paragraph borders (top, bottom, left, right with custom colors and widths)
Automatic word wrapping
Custom tab stops with different alignments (left, center, right, decimal)

Lists:

Numbered lists (1. 2. 3.)
Bulleted lists (•)
Multi-level lists with proper indentation
Custom numbering formats:
- Decimal (1, 2, 3)
- Lowercase letters (a, b, c)
- Uppercase letters (A, B, C)
- Lowercase Roman (i, ii, iii)
- Uppercase Roman (I, II, III)

Tables:

Table borders with customizable color and width
Cell background colors (shading)
Merged cells (grid span / horizontal merge)
Cell-specific borders
Text formatting within cells (bold, italic, underline, colors)
Cell alignment (left, center, right)
Word wrapping within cells
Dynamic row height based on content

Other Elements:

Hyperlinks (styled in blue with underline)
Images (as placeholders with accurate dimensions)
Tabs and text alignment
Automatic page breaks
Multiple pages

Note: The PDF export creates standard PDF 1.4 format files that can be opened in any PDF reader. All formatting is preserved with high fidelity.

IndependentsoftAny library, any programming language