Xceed Words for .NET has evolved dramatically since version 3.0. Recent releases have introduced native Word-to-HTML conversion, advanced charting, document collaboration, flexible document splitting, richer HTML and PDF processing, improved cross-platform support, and dozens of developer productivity enhancements. If you haven't upgraded recently, today's library delivers significantly more functionality while eliminating much of the custom code previously required for document automation.
If it's been a while since you've updated Xceed Words for .NET, you'll find that today's library is far more capable than the version you originally integrated into your application.
Over the past several major releases—from version 3.0 through the latest 6.0—we've introduced dozens of new APIs, expanded charting support, modernized document automation, significantly improved HTML and PDF processing, and added entirely new capabilities like native Word-to-HTML conversion and document collaboration.
Here's a look at the biggest improvements.
Xceed Words for .NET 6.0: A Major Milestone
Rather than incrementing to version 5.3, we made the deliberate decision to release version 6.0. The reason was simple: this release introduces one of the biggest features ever added to Xceed Words for .NET.
Native Word-to-HTML Conversion
The headline feature is the new ConvertToHtml() API.
With a single method call, you can convert DOCX documents into clean, standards-compliant HTML without relying on Microsoft Office, third-party converters, or custom export code.
Convert a Word Document to HTML
You have complete control over how the generated HTML is produced.
- CSS Output: Embed styles in the page, write them inline, or export them as an external stylesheet.
- Images: Export as Base64, external image files, or omit them entirely.
- Fonts: Reference normally, embed directly, or export separately.
The converter supports multiple HTML standards—including HTML5 and XHTML—while preserving far more document structure than most custom exporters.
- Tablas
- Encabezados y pies de página
- Notas al pie
- Listas multinivel
- Viñetas de imagen
- Fuentes incrustadas
- Cambios rastreados
Accessibility is also built in, with support for semantic HTML5, ARIA roles, and preserved image alternative text.
Por qué importa
If you've maintained custom Word-to-HTML conversion code over the years, the new ConvertToHtml() API can replace hundreds—or even thousands—of lines of maintenance with a single method call.
División Flexible de Documentos
Document splitting has also become significantly more powerful.
Beyond splitting by headings or sections, you can now divide documents using:
- Marcadores
- Controles de contenido
- Saltos de página
- Saltos de columna
Each splitting method exposes its own configuration options, allowing precise control over how documents are divided while maintaining full backward compatibility with existing code.
Richer Chart Generation
Chart creation continues to evolve with enterprise-grade customization.
- Fully programmable data labels
- Custom leader lines
- Per-point label visibility
- Gridline styling
- Direct point coloring
- Advanced combo charts
- Logarithmic axes
- Straight or smoothed line rendering
A new OOXML ordering engine also generates complex charts without triggering Microsoft Word's document repair prompt.
Additional Developer Productivity Improvements
- 20 predefined list styles
- Native multi-column page layouts
- Automatic image format detection
- Cross-document paragraph insertion
- Table of Contents markers for merged documents
- Additional PDF rendering improvements for complex layouts
Xceed Words for .NET 5.2: Collaboration Comes to Documents
Version 5.2 introduced a completely new collaboration model.
Applications can now create, edit, reply to, and delete Word comments programmatically.
New Collaboration APIs
Persona
Reacción
This makes automated review workflows possible without requiring Microsoft Word.
Additional enhancements included:
- Waterfall charts
- Box & Whisker charts
- SVG image support
- TXT import and export
- Checkbox controls
- HTML insertion without metadata
HTML rendering also received one of its largest upgrades, adding support for complete table layouts, CSS shorthand properties, borders, backgrounds, padding, margins, font styling, and vertical alignment.
Xceed Words for .NET 5.1: Smarter Automation
Combo Charts
Version 5.1 introduced combo charts, allowing multiple chart types to be combined into a single visualization while supporting secondary axes, data labels, and chart titles.
Additional chart types included:
- Surface 3D
- Donut
- Pastel de pastel
- Barra de pastel
Watermark APIs
Adding or removing watermarks became a one-line operation with support for both text and picture watermarks.
Smarter Document Splitting
The DocX class gained the ability to split documents automatically by headings or sections, laying the groundwork for the expanded document splitting capabilities introduced in version 6.0.
Better PDF Output
PDF conversion became significantly more accurate through improved paragraph rendering, correct "Exactly" line spacing support, and better handling of multi-document workflows.
Xceed Words for .NET 5.0: Better Charts and HTML
Version 5.0 modernized chart generation by introducing dedicated chart series types.
Five new chart types were added:
- Radar
- Scatter
- Area
- Sunburst
- Bubble
Developers also benefited from multiple HTML rendering improvements that made importing HTML into DOCX documents more reliable and consistent.
Xceed Words for .NET 4.0: Cross-Platform and Performance
Version 4.0 focused on compatibility and developer productivity.
- Full .NET 9 support
- Expanded cross-platform compatibility
- Multiple text replacement in a single API call
- New method for removing text between tags
- Stronger password hashing options
- More than 40 PDF and HTML improvements
Xceed Words for .NET 3.0: Stability First
Version 3.0 laid much of the foundation for today's library.
- Simplified assembly naming across .NET versions
- Better HTML import
- Improved picture alignment
- Reliable hyperlink handling
- More stable paragraph insertion
- Better table rendering
- Extensive PDF conversion improvements
Numerous edge cases that previously caused exceptions were eliminated, making document generation more reliable for production applications.
Continuous Improvements Across Every Release
Taken together, these releases represent a significant evolution of Xceed Words for .NET.
- Native Word-to-HTML conversion with configurable CSS, images, fonts, and accessibility support.
- Advanced charting with more than a dozen chart types and enterprise-level customization.
- Document collaboration through comments, replies, and reactions.
- Watermark management through simple APIs.
- División flexible de documentos using headings, sections, bookmarks, content controls, and page breaks.
- Rich HTML and CSS support for importing and exporting documents.
- Improved PDF rendering with higher fidelity and layout accuracy.
- Expanded cross-platform support and modern .NET compatibility.
- More document layout capabilities with multi-column pages, predefined lists, and smarter document merging.
- Better overall performance and stability throughout the API.
Whether you're generating reports, invoices, contracts, proposals, technical documentation, or complete document automation workflows, today's Xceed Words for .NET delivers a richer feature set, higher output fidelity, and dramatically less custom code than ever before.
Upgrade to the latest version of Xceed Words for .NET and take advantage of native Word-to-HTML conversion, advanced document automation, richer charting, improved PDF fidelity, and dozens of productivity enhancements that have been added across recent releases.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Cuál es la característica nueva más importante de Xceed Words para .NET 6.0?
The standout addition is the native ConvertToHtml() API, which converts DOCX documents into standards-compliant HTML while giving developers full control over CSS, images, fonts, accessibility, and output format.
Can Xceed Words for .NET generate advanced charts?
Yes. Recent releases introduced numerous chart types, combo charts, programmable data labels, logarithmic axes, leader lines, direct point coloring, and many additional customization options.
Does Xceed Words for .NET support automated document collaboration?
Yes. Version 5.2 introduced APIs for creating, editing, replying to, and deleting Word comments, along with support for people and reactions, enabling automated review workflows without Microsoft Word.
Is upgrading from an older version worthwhile?
Absolutely. Since version 3.0, the library has gained native Word-to-HTML conversion, significantly expanded charting, document collaboration, smarter document splitting, richer HTML and PDF support, better cross-platform compatibility, and numerous performance and reliability improvements.