How to Convert PDF to HTML

Are you a .NET developer but still don’t quite know the fastest way to convert PDFs to HTML? Is your workflow clunky?

If so, you will be pleased to know that there are developer tools available to make this particular part of the workflow as seamless as possible.

This guide will cover how to convert PDF to HTML for general users as well as for .NET developers in a specific use case.

What Are They

PDF stands for portable document format. This allows people to view and send files regardless of what operating system they are running.

Have you tried opening a .docx file on a Mac? You might run into a lot of formatting issues because the document isn’t standardized across operating systems unless you have Word installed on the Mac.

What is PDF? With a PDF, the format is standardized so it can appear polished opened from anywhere that supports PDF.

What is HTML? It is a language designed for documents that can be displayed in a web browser.

We won’t dive into why one might want to do so; let’s assume you have a great reason depending on your business. Well, how do you go about it?

General Conversion of PDF to HTML

One of the most intuitive ways is to use Adobe Acrobat. Adobe is the designer of the PDF, so you’ll find their platform well-suited for your PDF needs.

Simply open the PDF in an Acrobat window. Then, you can choose “Save As”, “More Options”, and finally “HTML Web Page”.

You can do something similar if you are working in Google Docs. Open the PDF in Google Docs through your Google Drive. From there, you can go to the “File” menu, where you can click “Download As”, and then choose to download the file as a “Web Page”.

This will convert your PDF into a file that can be displayed on a web browser.

Another quick tip: if you’re a general user, chances are you can get by with a one-time pdf to HTML converter. There are plenty of these options and they are just a quick Google search away.

Now, what if you want to automate this process using code? What if you’re a developer seeking more advanced options?

For Developers

If you’re working with .NET, you could try pdfsharp. This is a complete .NET library for developers working with PDFs. A dream come true!

PDF sharp also includes MigraDoc which functions similar to a word processor. You’ll have the ability to add charts, tables, and diagrams to your document all within the .NET framework.

The library also includes PDF manipulation tools like splitting, merging, and the ability to import data from various sources.

Easy Conversion

As you can see, there are a couple of options for converting from PDF to HTML. Which one you pick depends on your business needs.

If you’re a web developer that needs to convert frequently as part of your workflow, you can consider open-source libraries. If you’re a general user, you can use inbuilt options in software like Adobe Acrobat and the like.

You might have to fiddle around with it a little, but with a little fiddling, you’ll get the right workflow eventually.

For more tech tips, check out our software section!