How to Add Shadow Effect to Text in C#

Which Preset Shadow Effects Are Available?

IronWord provides several built-in shadow presets like OuterShadow1 through OuterShadow20 that offer different visual styles. These presets provide quick implementation without manual configuration. Each preset has been carefully designed to match common use cases in professional document creation:

• OuterShadow1-5: Subtle shadows for body text and headings
• OuterShadow6-10: Medium-intensity shadows for titles and emphasis
• OuterShadow11-15: Bold shadows for cover pages and section dividers
• OuterShadow16-20: Dramatic effects for presentations and creative documents

To stay updated with new preset additions and enhancements, check the changelog regularly. The development team continuously refines these presets based on user feedback and industry trends.

When Should I Use Preset vs Custom Shadow Effects?

Use preset shadows for standard document formatting and quick implementations. Choose custom shadows when you need specific branding requirements or unique visual effects that presets don't provide. Preset shadows excel in scenarios where consistency across multiple documents is crucial, such as corporate templates or standardized reports.

Custom shadows become invaluable when working with brand guidelines that specify exact color values, positioning, or blur effects. Marketing teams often require precise shadow specifications to maintain visual identity across all collateral. Additionally, custom shadows allow for creative effects like multi-layered shadows or shadows that complement specific background colors.

What's the Basic Implementation Pattern?

Create a WordDocument, configure TextStyle with ShadowEffect, apply the style to your text, and save the document. The pattern remains consistent whether using presets or custom configurations.

:path=/static-assets/word/content-code-examples/how-to/text-effect-shadow-effect.cs

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;

// Create new Word document
WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

// Create and configure text style
TextStyle textStyle = new TextStyle();
textStyle.TextEffect = new TextEffect()
{
    ShadowEffect = Shadow.OuterShadow1,
};

// Add text with style
doc.AddText("Hello World").Style = textStyle;

// Export new Word document
doc.SaveAs("shadowEffect.docx");

Imports IronWord
Imports IronWord.Models

' Create new Word document
Private doc As New WordDocument()

' Create and configure text style
Private textStyle As New TextStyle()
textStyle.TextEffect = New TextEffect() With {.ShadowEffect = Shadow.OuterShadow1}

' Add text with style
doc.AddText("Hello World").Style = textStyle

' Export new Word document
doc.SaveAs("shadowEffect.docx")

Which Properties Control Shadow Positioning?

• Alignment: Gets or sets the alignment of the shadow.
• DirectionAngle: Gets or sets the direction angle of the shadow effect. The direction angle is specified in degrees.
• DistanceFromText: Gets or sets the distance of the shadow effect from the text or object. The distance is specified in points (1/72 inch).

These positioning properties work together to create realistic shadow effects. The Alignment property determines the shadow's anchor point relative to the text, while DirectionAngle simulates the light source direction. DistanceFromText controls the perceived elevation of the text above the page surface. Combining these properties effectively creates shadows that appear to come from consistent light sources across your document.

What Properties Affect Shadow Appearance?

• BlurRadius: Gets or sets the blur radius of the shadow effect. The blur radius is specified in points (1/72 inch).
• SchemeColor: Gets or sets the scheme color of the shadow effect.

The appearance properties directly impact the visual quality of your shadows. BlurRadius creates soft or hard shadow edges—lower values produce crisp shadows suitable for technical documentation, while higher values create diffused shadows ideal for creative designs. SchemeColor allows you to match shadows to your document's color palette, maintaining visual consistency throughout your content.

How Do I Control Shadow Scaling and Skewing?

• HorizontalScalingFactor: Gets or sets the horizontal scaling factor of the shadow effect.
• HorizontalSkewAngle: Gets or sets the horizontal skew angle of the shadow effect. The skew angle is specified in degrees.
• VerticalScalingFactor: Gets or sets the vertical scaling factor of the shadow effect.
• VerticalSkewAngle: Gets or sets the vertical skew angle of the shadow effect. The skew angle is specified in degrees.

Scaling and skewing properties enable perspective effects that add dimensionality to your text. HorizontalScalingFactor and VerticalScalingFactor stretch or compress the shadow, creating effects that simulate different viewing angles. The skew angles allow you to create italic-like shadow effects or simulate shadows cast on angled surfaces, adding sophisticated visual depth to your documents.

What Are Common Property Value Ranges?

BlurRadius typically ranges from 0-10 points, DirectionAngle from 0-360 degrees, and scaling factors use percentage values (100 = normal size). DistanceFromText usually works best between 1-5 points for subtle effects.

Understanding these ranges helps achieve professional results quickly. For business documents, conservative values (BlurRadius: 2-4, DistanceFromText: 1-2) maintain readability while adding visual interest. Creative applications might push these boundaries with dramatic effects (BlurRadius: 8-10, DistanceFromText: 4-6) for impact. Remember that printer capabilities and screen resolution affect how shadows appear, so test your documents across intended output methods.

:path=/static-assets/word/content-code-examples/how-to/text-effect-customized-shadow-effect.cs

using IronWord;
using IronWord.Models;
using IronWord.Models.Enums;

// Create new Word document
WordDocument doc = new WordDocument();

// Create and configure text style
TextStyle textStyle = new TextStyle();
textStyle.TextEffect = new TextEffect()
{
    ShadowEffect = new Shadow()
    {
        Alignment = RectangleAlignmentValues.BottomLeft,
        BlurRadius = 5,
        DirectionAngle = 45,
        DistanceFromText = 3,
        HorizontalScalingFactor = 100,
        VerticalScalingFactor = 100,
        HorizontalSkewAngle = 0,
        SchemeColor = IronWord.Models.Color.Aqua,
        VerticalSkewAngle = 0,
    },
};

// Add text with style
doc.AddText("Customized shadow").Style = textStyle;

// Export new Word document
doc.SaveAs("customizedShadowEffect.docx");

Imports IronWord
Imports IronWord.Models
Imports IronWord.Models.Enums

' Create new Word document
Private doc As New WordDocument()

' Create and configure text style
Private textStyle As New TextStyle()
textStyle.TextEffect = New TextEffect() With {
	.ShadowEffect = New Shadow() With {
		.Alignment = RectangleAlignmentValues.BottomLeft,
		.BlurRadius = 5,
		.DirectionAngle = 45,
		.DistanceFromText = 3,
		.HorizontalScalingFactor = 100,
		.VerticalScalingFactor = 100,
		.HorizontalSkewAngle = 0,
		.SchemeColor = IronWord.Models.Color.Aqua,
		.VerticalSkewAngle = 0
	}
}

' Add text with style
doc.AddText("Customized shadow").Style = textStyle

' Export new Word document
doc.SaveAs("customizedShadowEffect.docx")