How to Print Word Documents in C#: The Ultimate Guide

Printing Word documents programmatically in C# can streamline business workflows, automate reporting, and enhance document management systems. This comprehensive guide explores how to print Word documents in C# using Spire.Doc for .NET, covering everything from basic printing to advanced customization techniques. We'll walk through practical code examples for each scenario, ensuring you can implement these solutions in real-world applications.

• .NET Library for Printing Word Documents
• Print Word Documents in C#
• Customize Printing Options
• Silently Print Word Documents
• Print Multiple Pages on One Sheet
• Conclusion
• FAQs

.NET Library for Printing Word Documents

Spire.Doc for .NET is a robust, standalone library that supports comprehensive Word document processing without requiring Microsoft Office to be installed. It provides intuitive APIs for loading, editing, and printing Word files (DOC/DOCX) while maintaining perfect formatting fidelity.

To get started, install the library via NuGet Package Manager:

Install-Package Spire.Doc

Alternatively, you can download Spire.Doc for .NET from our official website and reference the DLL file manually.

Print Word Documents in C#

The foundation of Word document printing in C# involves three key steps demonstrated in the following code. First, we create a Document object to represent our Word file, then load the actual document, and finally access the printing functionality through the PrintDocument class.

using Spire.Doc;
using System.Drawing.Printing;

namespace PrintWordDocument
{
    internal class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Initialize a new Document instance
            Document doc = new Document();

            // Load the Word file from specified path
            doc.LoadFromFile("Input.docx");

            // Access the PrintDocument object for printing operations
            PrintDocument printDoc = doc.PrintDocument;

            // Send document to default printer
            printDoc.Print();
        }
    }
}

This basic implementation handles the entire printing process, from document loading to physical printing, with just a few lines of code. The PrintDocument object abstracts all the underlying printing operations, making the process straightforward for developers.

Customize Printing Options

Beyond basic printing, Spire.Doc offers extensive customization via the PrinterSettings class, providing developers with granular control over the printing process. These settings allow you to tailor the output to specific needs, such as selecting particular pages or configuring advanced printer features.

To obtain the PrinterSettings object associated with the current document, use the following line of code:

PrinterSettings settings = printDoc.PrinterSettings;

Now, let’s explore the specific settings.

1. Specify the Printer Name

settings.PrinterName = "Your Printer Name";

This code snippet demonstrates how to target a specific printer in environments with multiple installed printers. The PrinterName property accepts the exact name of the printer as it appears in the system's printer list.

2. Specify Pages to Print

settings.FromPage = 1;
settings.ToPage = 5;

These settings are particularly useful when dealing with large documents, allowing you to print only the relevant sections and conserve resources.

3. Specify Number of Copies to Print

settings.Copies = 2;

The Copies property controls how many duplicates of the document will be printed, with the printer handling the duplication process efficiently.

4. Enable Duplex Printing

if (settings.CanDuplex)
{
    settings.Duplex = Duplex.Default;
}

This example first checks for duplex printing support before enabling two-sided printing, ensuring compatibility across different printer hardware.

5. Print on a Custom Paper Size

settings.DefaultPageSettings.PaperSize = new PaperSize("custom", 800, 500);

Here we create a custom paper size (800x500 units) for specialized printing requirements, demonstrating Spire.Doc's flexibility in handling non-standard document formats.

6. Print Word to File

settings.PrintToFile = true;
settings.PrinterName = "Microsoft Print to PDF";
settings.PrintFileName = @"C:\Output.pdf";

This configuration uses the system's PDF virtual printer to create a PDF file instead of physical printing, showcasing how Spire.Doc can be used for document conversion as well.

Silently Print Word Documents

In automated environments, you may need to print documents without any user interaction or visible dialogs. The following implementation achieves silent printing by using the StandardPrintController.

using Spire.Doc;
using System.Drawing.Printing;

namespace SilentlyPrintWord
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Initialize a new Document instance
            Document doc = new Document();

            // Load the Word file from specified path
            doc.LoadFromFile("Input.docx");

            // Access the PrintDocument object for printing operations
            PrintDocument printDoc = doc.PrintDocument;

            // Disable the print dialog
            printDoc.PrintController = new StandardPrintController();

            // Exexute printing
            printDoc.Print();
        }
    }
}

The key to silent printing lies in assigning the StandardPrintController to the PrintController property, which suppresses all printing-related dialogs and progress indicators. This approach is ideal for server-side applications or batch processing scenarios where user interaction is not possible or desired.

Print Multiple Pages on One Sheet

For economizing paper usage or creating compact document versions, Spire.Doc supports printing multiple document pages on a single physical sheet. The PrintMultipageToOneSheet method simplifies this process with predefined layout options.

using Spire.Doc;
using Spire.Doc.Printing;
using System.Drawing.Printing;

namespace PrintMultiplePagesOnOneSheet
{
    internal class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Initialize a new Document instance
            Document doc = new Document();

            // Load the Word file from specified path
            doc.LoadFromFile("Input.docx");

            // Configure 2-page-per-sheet printing and execute printing
            doc.PrintMultipageToOneSheet(PagesPreSheet.TwoPages, false);
        }
    }
}

The PagesPreSheet enumeration offers several layout options (OnePage, TwoPages, FourPages, etc.), while the boolean parameter determines whether to include a page border on the printed sheet. This feature is particularly valuable for creating booklet layouts or draft versions of documents.

P.S. This scenario works only with .NET Framework versions earlier than 5.0.

Conclusion

This guide has demonstrated how Spire.Doc for .NET provides a comprehensive solution for Word document printing in C#. It simplifies the process with features such as:

• Basic & silent printing.
• Customizable print settings (printer selection, duplex, copies).
• Multi-page per sheet printing to reduce paper usage.

By integrating these techniques, developers can efficiently automate document printing in enterprise applications, enhancing productivity and reducing manual effort. Overall, Spire.Doc empowers developers to create robust printing solutions that meet diverse business requirements.

FAQs

Q1. Can I print encrypted or password-protected Word files?

A: Yes, Spire.Doc supports printing password-protected documents after loading them with the correct password:

doc.LoadFromFile("Protected.docx", FileFormat.Docx, "password");

After successful loading, you can print it like any other document, with all the same customization options available.

Q2. How can I print only selected text from a Word document?

A: You can extract specific content by accessing document sections and paragraphs:

Section section = doc.Sections[0];
Paragraph paragraph = section.Paragraphs[0];
// Create new document with selected content
Document newDoc = new Document();
newDoc.Sections.Add(section.Clone());
newDoc.Print();

This approach gives you precise control over which document portions get printed.

Q3. Can I print documents in landscape mode or adjust margins programmatically?

A: Yes! Modify the DefaultPageSettings properties:

printDoc.DefaultPageSettings.Landscape = true;
printDoc.DefaultPageSettings.Margins = new Margins(50, 50, 50, 50);

Q4. Can I print other file formats (e.g., PDF, Excel) using Spire.Doc?

A: Spire.Doc is designed for Word files (DOC/DOCX). For PDFs, use Spire.PDF; for Excel, use Spire.XLS.

Get a Free License

To fully experience the capabilities of Spire.Doc for Python without any evaluation limitations, you can request a free 30-day trial license.