How to Display PDF in WPF Application

In modern software development, the need to integrate versatile tools like PDF viewers into applications has become increasingly common.

For Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) developers, adding a PDF viewer can greatly enhance the usability and functionality of their applications.

WebView2, powered by Microsoft Edge, offers a seamless way to embed web content into desktop applications, making it an excellent choice for integrating a PDF viewer into a WPF app.

In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the process of adding a PDF viewer to your WPF application using WebView2. This tutorial assumes you have a basic understanding of WPF and Visual Studio.

How to Add PDF Viewer in WPF

• Create a WPF Project:
  Open Visual Studio and create a new WPF project or use an existing one where you want to integrate the PDF viewer.

• Install WebView2 NuGet Package:
  Right-click on your WPF project in Solution Explorer, select “Manage NuGet Packages,” and search for “Microsoft.Web.WebView2.” Install the package into your project.

• Add WebView2 Control to Your WPF Window:
  In your XAML file, add the WebView2 control by including the following namespace:
  

xmlns:wv2="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Web.WebView2.Wpf;assembly=Microsoft.Web.WebView2.Wpf"

Then, add the WebView2 control to your window:

<wv2:WebView2 Source="path-to-your-pdf-file"/>

• Run Your Application: Build and run your WPF application. Verify that the WebView2 control displays the PDF file as expected and test its functionalities.

Conclusion:

Integrating a PDF viewer into a WPF application using WebView2 offers a flexible and efficient solution. WebView2 allows seamless integration of web content, making it a powerful tool for displaying PDFs and leveraging web-based functionalities within your desktop application.

By following the steps outlined in this post, you can enhance your WPF application by enabling users to view and interact with PDF documents directly within the application interface, providing a more immersive and convenient user experience.

Remember, this tutorial provides a basic implementation. You can further customize the PDF viewer’s appearance, implement additional functionalities, and handle edge cases according to your application’s requirements.