Embed a DOCX Editor in React for Seamless Word Document Editing

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, users expect seamless, in-browser experiences, especially for document editing. Whether you’re building a collaborative workspace, a content management system, or an enterprise dashboard, the ability to embed a DOCX Editor in React can dramatically enhance your application’s functionality and user engagement.

Imagine allowing users to render DOCX files with React and edit them directly, no downloads, no external software, just smooth, integrated editing. This kind of experience is not just a convenience; it’s a competitive advantage. Syncfusion makes this possible with its powerful DOCX Editor component.

Why embed a DOCX Editor in React?

Embedding a DOCX Editor directly into your React app enables:

• Real-time collaboration
• In-browser editing without external software
• Rich formatting and seamless document workflows
• Improved productivity and user engagement

How to embed a DOCX Editor in React

Step 1. Set up your React project

Use create React app or Vite to initialize your project:

npx create-react-app syncfusion-doc-editor
cd syncfusion-doc-editor

Step 2. Install Syncfusion DOCX Editor

npm install @syncfusion/ej2-react-documenteditor

Step 3. Import required styles

Add the following to your index.css to ensure proper styling:

@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-buttons/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-popups/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-lists/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-navigations/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-splitbuttons/styles/material.css';
@import '../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-dropdowns/styles/material.css';
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-documenteditor/styles/material.css";

Step 4. Create and embed the DOCX Editor component

Create a new file named DOCXEditor.js inside the src folder and add the following code:

import React, { useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
import {
  DOCXEditorContainerComponent,
  Toolbar
} from '@syncfusion/ej2-react-DOCXeditor';

DOCXEditorContainerComponent.Inject(Toolbar);

function DOCXEditor() {
  const containerRef = useRef(null);
  
  const defaultSFDT = `{
    "sections": [{
      "blocks": [{
        "inlines": [{
          "text": "Welcome to Syncfusion Document Editor!",
          "characterFormat": {
            "bold": true,
            "fontSize": 14
          }
        }]
      }]
    }]
  }`;

  useEffect(() => {
    if (containerRef.current) {
      containerRef.current.DOCXEditor.open(defaultSFDT); // Empty document
      containerRef.current.DOCXEditor.documentName = 'New Document';
      containerRef.current.DOCXEditor.focusIn();
    }
  }, []);

  return (
    <DOCXEditorContainerComponent
      ref={containerRef}
      id="container"
      height="100vh"
      enableToolbar={true}
    />
  );
}

export default DocumentEditor;

Note: Syncfusion uses SFDT (Syncfusion DOCX Text) format for efficient DOCX rendering and editing. In the example above, we load a DOCX using SFDT to initialize the editor with a simple content.

Step 5. Use the component in App.js

Import and use the DOCXEditor component in your App.js file:

import React from 'react';
import DOCXEditor from './DOCXEditor';

function App() {
  return (
    <div className='App'>
      <DOCXEditor />
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Step 6. Run your application

Start the application using the start script

npm start

Editing DOCX files in React

We’ve successfully rendered the DOCX Editor inside our React application. Now, let’s explore its powerful editing functionality.

Core capabilities

• In-browser viewing and editing: Open and edit DOCX files directly within the React interface, no downloads or external tools required.
• Full DOCX fidelity: Maintains original formatting, styles, and structure for professional-grade document rendering.
• Advanced formatting support: Includes tables, images, headers, footers, and rich text styling for complex document layouts.
• Real-time collaboration: Enables track changes, comments, and co-authoring for team-based editing workflows.
• Seamless import and export: Supports high-fidelity DOCX import and export, ensuring data integrity and compatibility.
• Performance optimization: Engineered for speed and responsiveness, even with large documents and intensive editing tasks.

Developer advantages

• Customizable toolbar and UI: Adapt the editor interface to match specific workflows, user roles, or branding requirements.
• Modular and scalable architecture: Easily integrates into React projects with flexible configuration options.
• Extensive documentation and support: Accelerates development with clear guides, demos, and responsive technical support.

Check out our getting started guide to explore Syncfusion DOCX Editor features and learn how to seamlessly integrate the editor into your application.

Explore the endless possibilities with Syncfusion’s outstanding React UI components.

Try It Free

Conclusion

Thank you for reading! Integrating a DOCX Editor into your React app is no longer a complex task. With Syncfusion’s DOCX Editor, you get a professional-grade, browser-based editing experience that rivals desktop tools.

Whether you’re building for legal, education, HR, or enterprise use cases, React DOCX Editor offers the flexibility, performance, and reliability you need.

The new version is available for current customers to download from the license and downloads page. If you are not a Syncfusion customer, you can try our 30-day free trial for our newest features.

You can also contact us through our support forums, support portal, or feedback portal. We are always happy to assist you!