How to open and read Word document in C#, VB.NET

Syncfusion Essential DocIO is a .NET Word library used to create, read, and edit Word documents programmatically without Microsoft Word or interop dependencies. Using this library, you can open and read Word document in C# and VB.NET.

Steps to open and read Word document using C#:

1. Create a new C# console application project.
2. Install Syncfusion.DocIO.WinForms NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Framework applications from the NuGet.org.
3. Include the following namespace in the Program.cs file.

C#

using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS;

VB

Imports Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS

4. Use the following code to open and read Word document.

C#

//Opens the Word template document
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument("Template.docx"))
{
    //Gets the Word document text
    string text = document.GetText();
    //Display Word document's text content.
    Console.WriteLine(text);
    Console.ReadLine();
}

VB

'Opens the Word template document
Using document As WordDocument = New WordDocument ("Template.docx")
    'Gets the Word document text
    Dim text As String = document.GetText
    'Display Word document's text content.
    Console.WriteLine(text)
    Console.ReadLine
End Using

A complete working example to open and read Word document using C# can be downloaded from open and read Word document.zip

Input Word document as follows.

By executing the program, you will open and read Word document as follows.

Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you can find basic Word document processing options along with features like mail merge, merge and split documents, find and replace text in the Word document, protect the Word documents, and most importantly PDF and Image conversions with code examples.

Explore more about the rich set of Syncfusion Word Framework features.

See Also:

Create Word document in Windows Forms

Create Word document in WPF

Create Word document in ASP.NET Core

Create Word document in ASP.NET MVC

Create Word document in Xamarin

Create Word document in Xamarin.Android