MemoryStream to PDF C#

We can load, create, and export MemoryStream to PDF files in C# .NET without even touching the file system. This is possible through the MemoryStream object present inside the System.IO .NET namespace. Follow the tutorial below to find out how to export HTML to PDF in your C# project.

Step 1

Install IronPDF

In this tutorial, we'll be using IronPDF's C# PDF Library to save MemoryStream files to PDF in C#. You can download it free or install to Visual Studio with NuGet.

PM > Install-Package IronPdf

How to Tutorial

2. Load a PDF from Memory

A new instance of IronPdf.PdfDocument can be initialized in any of these .NET in-memory-objects:

A MemoryStream
A FileSteam
Binary Data as a Byte array (byte[])

Here is an example of reading a URL directly into a stream, then saving the PDF file to disk by using C#:

C#:

    private void ReadViaMemStream()
    {
      //Conversion of the URL into PDF
      var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
      Uri url = new Uri("https://ironpdf.com/docs/questions/pdf-memory-stream/");
      MemoryStream rend = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url).Stream; //Read stream
      HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/pdf"); //Download
      HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", String.Format("{0}; filename=Print.pdf; size={1}", "attachment", rend.Length.ToString()));
      // Write PDF buffer to HTTP response
      HttpContext.Current.Response.BinaryWrite(rend.ToArray());
      // Stop page processing
      HttpContext.Current.Response.End();
    }

VB:

 Private Sub ReadViaMemStream()
  var Renderer = New IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer()
 Uri url = New Uri("https://ironpdf.com/docs/questions/pdf-memory-stream/")
 MemoryStream rend = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url).Stream 'Read stream
 HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/pdf") 'Download
 HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", String.Format("{0}; filename=Print.pdf; size={1}", "attachment", rend.Length.ToString()))
  HttpContext.Current.Response.BinaryWrite(rend.ToArray())
  HttpContext.Current.Response.End()
'INSTANT VB TODO TASK: The following line uses invalid syntax:
' }

3. Save a PDF to Memory

An IronPdf.PdfDocument can be saved directly to memory in one of 2 ways:

IronPdf.PdfDocument.Stream exports the PDF as a System.IO.MemoryStream
IronPdf.PdfDocument.BinaryData exports the PDF as a Byte Array (byte[])

Here is a quick example for MVC and ASP.NET:

4.1 Export a PDF with MVC

C#:


return new FileStreamResult(stream, “application/pdf”)
{
   FileDownloadName = “downloadedfile.pdf”
};

VB:

'INSTANT VB TODO TASK: The following line uses invalid syntax:
'Return New FileStreamResult(stream, "application/pdf”) { FileDownloadName = "downloadedfile.pdf” };

4.1 Export a PDF with ASP.NET

C#:

byte[] Binary = MyPDFDocument.BinaryData;
Response.Clear();
Response.ContentType = “application/octet-stream”;
Context.Response.OutputStream.Write(Binary, 0, Binary.Length);
Response.Flush();

VB:

Dim Binary() As Byte = MyPDFDocument.BinaryData
Response.Clear()
'INSTANT VB TODO TASK: The following line uses invalid syntax:
'Response.ContentType = "application/octet-stream”; Context.Response.OutputStream.Write(Binary, 0, Binary.Length); Response.Flush();