To generate a PDF from HTML in C#, use PuppeteerSharp to launch headless Chrome, load a URL or HTML string, wait for the content and fonts your page needs, then call PdfAsync. PDF generation is documented as supported only in Chrome headless, and it uses print CSS by default.
Install PuppeteerSharp and prepare Chrome
Add the NuGet package to your project:
dotnet add package PuppeteerSharpCheck the package version and target framework you plan to use before adopting code: compatibility changes over time. The NuGet listing showed PuppeteerSharp 25.12.0 on October 3, 2026; check the NuGet package page for the current release and framework targets.
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In the documented BrowserFetcher workflow, download a compatible browser, launch headless Chrome, and dispose of browser and page resources when the work is complete. PuppeteerSharp’s project site lists Windows, macOS, and Linux support; package instructions call out an X-server requirement on Linux. Those broad platform statements do not establish that every framework, browser build, or container image will work without additional setup, so validate the exact deployment environment. See the PuppeteerSharp project site and package instructions.
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Generate a PDF from an HTML string
This example follows the documented download, launch, content, font-readiness, and PDF sequence. Replace the sample markup with your own HTML and verify API symbols against the installed package version.
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using PuppeteerSharp;
var html = "<!doctype html><html><head><meta charset='utf-8'><title>Report</title></head><body><h1>Monthly report</h1><p>Generated from HTML.</p></body></html>";
var fetcher = new BrowserFetcher();
await fetcher.DownloadAsync();
await using var browser = await Puppeteer.LaunchAsync(
new LaunchOptions { Headless = true });
await using var page = await browser.NewPageAsync();
await page.SetContentAsync(html);
await page.EvaluateExpressionHandleAsync("document.fonts.ready");
await page.PdfAsync("output.pdf", new PdfOptions
{
Format = PaperFormat.A4,
PrintBackground = true
});The font wait matters: the official example warns that omitting it might result in no text rendered in the PDF. For remotely hosted fonts, allow for their network loading as well; readiness should reflect the assets and rendering behavior of your own page. The repository’s example uses network-idle waiting with navigation where appropriate. See the PuppeteerSharp repository examples.
Generate a PDF from a URL
For an existing page, navigate instead of setting markup. If the page fills in data asynchronously, wait for a meaningful selector or application-specific condition before printing; a completed navigation alone may not mean the report is ready.
using PuppeteerSharp;
var fetcher = new BrowserFetcher();
await fetcher.DownloadAsync();
await using var browser = await Puppeteer.LaunchAsync(
new LaunchOptions { Headless = true });
await using var page = await browser.NewPageAsync();
await page.GoToAsync("https://example.com/report");
await page.WaitForSelectorAsync(".report-ready");
await page.EvaluateExpressionHandleAsync("document.fonts.ready");
await page.PdfAsync("report.pdf", new PdfOptions
{
Format = PaperFormat.A4,
PrintBackground = true
});Choose a selector that appears only when the information you need is present. PuppeteerSharp’s repository demonstrates WaitForSelectorAsync; the right readiness condition is specific to the page.
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Choose print styling and PDF options
PdfAsync uses print CSS media by default. If the intended PDF should reflect screen styles, call EmulateMediaTypeAsync(MediaType.Screen) before PDF generation. Chrome headless is the documented supported mode for generating PDFs. See the IPage API documentation.
PdfOptions exposes paper size or dimensions, orientation, margins, page ranges, background printing, CSS page-size priority, outlines, and header/footer templates. Documented defaults include backgrounds off, landscape off, margins set to none, header/footer disabled, and CSS page size not preferred. When Format is specified, it takes priority over explicit width and height. See PdfOptions API documentation.
- Paper and dimensions: Set a format such as
PaperFormat.A4, or specify width and height. Do not expect explicit dimensions to override a setFormat. - Orientation and margins: Set landscape orientation or margins when the document needs them; the documented defaults are portrait and no margins.
- Backgrounds: Set
PrintBackground = trueif background colors or images are part of the design. The default is false. - Page ranges: Use the page-range option when only selected pages should be emitted.
- CSS page size: Enable preference for CSS
@pagesize when that should take priority over the PDF options’ paper selection. - Headers and footers: Enable templates if you need them. The documented template classes include
date,title,url,pageNumber, andtotalPages. - Outlines: The API describes outline generation as also tagging the PDF for accessibility, but qualifies that it currently works only in old headless mode. Verify behavior in your deployed browser and package before relying on tagged output.
For a PDF file, use PdfAsync(path). If the surrounding application needs bytes or a stream instead, the API also documents PdfDataAsync and PdfStreamAsync. Confirm their signatures for your package version in the IPage API reference.
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Wait for the right things without waiting blindly
PDF quality depends on capturing the page after the material it needs is ready. A useful order is to load or set the content, wait for the application-specific content signal, wait for fonts, then print. For a URL with external assets, account for navigation and network completion; for a generated page, wait on a selector or other known readiness condition rather than assuming that setting the HTML finishes later JavaScript work.
- Use
document.fonts.readywhen text depends on web fonts. - Wait for a selector that represents completed data rendering when the page is dynamic.
- Allow for remote assets such as CDN fonts where relevant; network idle may help, but the appropriate condition depends on page behavior.
- Prefer a meaningful readiness condition to an arbitrary delay, which can be either unnecessarily slow or too short.
Troubleshoot common PDF problems
The PDF is missing text or uses fallback fonts
Fonts may not have loaded when printing began. Wait for document.fonts.ready and account for external font requests. The PuppeteerSharp example warns that skipping font readiness might leave text unrendered.
The PDF is blank or contains only part of the page
A navigation can finish before client-side content is populated. Wait for a selector or application-specific ready state before calling PdfAsync. If using SetContentAsync, check whether scripts or external resources continue to update the document afterward.
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The PDF looks different from the browser window
Print media is the default for PDF generation, so print-specific CSS may apply. If you want screen styles, call EmulateMediaTypeAsync(MediaType.Screen) before printing.
Background colors or images are missing
Background printing is disabled by default. Set PrintBackground = true when the output needs CSS backgrounds.
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Check that the downloaded browser build is compatible with the package and target environment, then verify runtime dependencies in the actual host. PuppeteerSharp’s package instructions call out an X-server requirement on Linux and link to troubleshooting guidance. A generic OS support statement is not a guarantee for every container or serverless environment; the available sources do not establish a universal deployment recipe.
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Can PuppeteerSharp generate a PDF in a non-Chrome browser?
The PuppeteerSharp API documents PDF generation as currently supported only in Chrome headless.
Does PuppeteerSharp require an installed Chrome browser?
The documented BrowserFetcher workflow downloads a compatible browser before launch. Confirm the browser and runtime dependencies required by your chosen package version and deployment host.
Can I return PDF data without writing a file?
Yes. The IPage API documents PdfDataAsync and PdfStreamAsync as alternatives to PdfAsync(path).
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