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How to Read and Write Word Documents on Android in .NET MAUI

Kye Stuart
Kye Stuart
Updated:

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) lets developers build native apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows using a single C# codebase. This approach simplifies development and delivers native performance on all platforms.

Although IronWord doesn’t have a dedicated Android package, it works smoothly on Android through .NET MAUI. This means you can build apps that read and write Word docs on Android devices with ease.

How to Use IronWord on Android in .NET MAUI

  1. Create a .NET MAUI App Project
  2. Download the C# library to manipulate Word documents on Android
  3. Design the UI in MainPage.xaml
  4. Implement Document Handling in MainPage.xaml.cs
  5. Run Your App on Android

Step 1: Create your .NET MAUI App Project

Begin by opening Visual Studio and creating a new .NET MAUI App project. This project type supports building apps for multiple platforms from one codebase.

Choose a clear project name like IronWordMauiAndroid to stay organized. This setup lays the foundation to build a native Android app with minimal platform-specific code.

Step 2: Add the IronWord NuGet Package

IronWord can be seamlessly integrated into your .NET projects through its NuGet package. To add IronWord via NuGet, right-click your project and select Manage NuGet Packages. Search for "IronWord" and install the latest stable version.

Alternatively, you can easily add it using the NuGet Package Manager Console by running this line:

Install-Package IronWord

Step 3: Design the UI in MainPage.xaml

To let users create and save Word documents on Android, you'll design a simple and clean UI using XAML. This interface includes:

  • A multi-line text editor where users can type or edit content.
  • A "Save as Word Document" button that triggers saving the current text to a .docx file.
  • A status label to provide feedback or error messages to the user.

Here’s the XAML markup that defines this layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
             x:Class="IronWordAndroid.MainPage">

    <VerticalStackLayout Padding="20" Spacing="15">
        <Editor x:Name="WordEditor"
                Placeholder="Enter your text..."
                AutoSize="TextChanges"
                HeightRequest="300"/>
        <Button Text="Save as Word Document" Clicked="OnSaveWordClicked"/>
        <Label x:Name="StatusLabel" FontSize="12" TextColor="Gray"/>
    </VerticalStackLayout>
</ContentPage>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
             x:Class="IronWordAndroid.MainPage">

    <VerticalStackLayout Padding="20" Spacing="15">
        <Editor x:Name="WordEditor"
                Placeholder="Enter your text..."
                AutoSize="TextChanges"
                HeightRequest="300"/>
        <Button Text="Save as Word Document" Clicked="OnSaveWordClicked"/>
        <Label x:Name="StatusLabel" FontSize="12" TextColor="Gray"/>
    </VerticalStackLayout>
</ContentPage>
XML

Step 4: Implement Document Handling in MainPage.xaml.cs

With the UI set up, you can now add logic to handle saving documents. In MainPage.xaml.cs, set your IronWord license key in the constructor, then implement the OnSaveWordClicked method.

When the button is tapped, the app creates a new WordDocument, adds the text from the Editor as a paragraph, and saves the file. On Android, it's saved to the Downloads folder; on other platforms, it uses the app’s cache directory.

A try-catch block ensures any errors are caught and shown in the status label.

Here’s the full working code:

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;
using Microsoft.Maui.Storage;
using System.Text;

namespace IronWordAndroid;

public partial class MainPage : ContentPage
{
    public MainPage()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        // Set your IronWord license key
        License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";
    }

    private async void OnSaveWordClicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            // Create new Word document
            var document = new WordDocument();
            Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph(new TextContent(WordEditor.Text));
            // Add basic text content
            document.AddParagraph(paragraph);

            // Generate a filename
            string fileName = $"MyWordDoc_{DateTime.Now:yyyyMMddHHmmss}.docx";

#if ANDROID
            string filePath = Path.Combine("/storage/emulated/0/Download", fileName);
#else
            string filePath = Path.Combine(FileSystem.CacheDirectory, fileName);
#endif

            // Save to path
            document.SaveAs(filePath);

            StatusLabel.Text = $"Saved to: {filePath}";
            await DisplayAlert("Success", $"File saved: {filePath}", "OK");
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            StatusLabel.Text = $"Error: {ex.Message}";
        }
    }
}
using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;
using Microsoft.Maui.Storage;
using System.Text;

namespace IronWordAndroid;

public partial class MainPage : ContentPage
{
    public MainPage()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        // Set your IronWord license key
        License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";
    }

    private async void OnSaveWordClicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            // Create new Word document
            var document = new WordDocument();
            Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph(new TextContent(WordEditor.Text));
            // Add basic text content
            document.AddParagraph(paragraph);

            // Generate a filename
            string fileName = $"MyWordDoc_{DateTime.Now:yyyyMMddHHmmss}.docx";

#if ANDROID
            string filePath = Path.Combine("/storage/emulated/0/Download", fileName);
#else
            string filePath = Path.Combine(FileSystem.CacheDirectory, fileName);
#endif

            // Save to path
            document.SaveAs(filePath);

            StatusLabel.Text = $"Saved to: {filePath}";
            await DisplayAlert("Success", $"File saved: {filePath}", "OK");
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            StatusLabel.Text = $"Error: {ex.Message}";
        }
    }
}
Imports IronWord
Imports IronWord.Models
Imports Microsoft.Maui.Storage
Imports System.Text

Namespace IronWordAndroid

	Partial Public Class MainPage
		Inherits ContentPage

		Public Sub New()
			InitializeComponent()

			' Set your IronWord license key
			License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"
		End Sub

		Private Async Sub OnSaveWordClicked(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
			Try
				' Create new Word document
				Dim document = New WordDocument()
				Dim paragraph As New Paragraph(New TextContent(WordEditor.Text))
				' Add basic text content
				document.AddParagraph(paragraph)

				' Generate a filename
				Dim fileName As String = $"MyWordDoc_{DateTime.Now:yyyyMMddHHmmss}.docx"

#If ANDROID Then
				Dim filePath As String = Path.Combine("/storage/emulated/0/Download", fileName)
#Else
				Dim filePath As String = Path.Combine(FileSystem.CacheDirectory, fileName)
#End If

				' Save to path
				document.SaveAs(filePath)

				StatusLabel.Text = $"Saved to: {filePath}"
				Await DisplayAlert("Success", $"File saved: {filePath}", "OK")
			Catch ex As Exception
				StatusLabel.Text = $"Error: {ex.Message}"
			End Try
		End Sub
	End Class
End Namespace
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Step 5: Run Your App on Android

Deploy your application effortlessly to an Android emulator or physical device straight from Visual Studio. This allows you to quickly test essential features such as opening Word documents, editing their content, and saving any changes.

The integration of the native Android file picker offers a seamless and familiar experience for users, improving overall usability.

Since IronWord runs entirely within the .NET environment, there’s no need for additional SDKs or platform-specific dependencies—making your app simpler to develop, maintain, and distribute.

Kye Stuart
Kye Stuart
  Chat with engineering team now
Technical Writer

Kye Stuart merges coding passion and writing skill at Iron Software. Educated at Yoobee College in software deployment, they now transform complex tech concepts into clear educational content. Kye values lifelong learning and embraces new tech challenges.

Outside work, they enjoy PC gaming, streaming on Twitch, and outdoor activities like gardening and walking their dog, Jaiya. Kye’s straightforward approach makes them key to Iron Software’s mission to demystify technology for developers globally.

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