---
title: "Extract text from PDF: Fast and accurate | Nutrient .NET SDK"
canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/dotnet/extraction/text/extract/"
md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/dotnet/extraction/text/extract.md"
last_updated: "2026-05-21T17:12:02.203Z"
description: "Learn how to extract text content from PDF documents programmatically in C# using Nutrient .NET SDK. Retrieve textual information for further processing."
---

# Extract text from PDFs using C#

Nutrient.NET SDK (formerly GdPicture.NET) enables you to extract all text from a PDF document. Both visible and hidden text are extracted.

To extract text from a PDF document, follow the steps below:

1. Create a `GdPicturePDF` object.

2. Select the source document by passing its path to the `LoadFromFile` method.

3. Optional: Configure text extraction with the `SetTextExtractionOptions` method. This method takes members of the `TextExtractionOptions` enumeration as its parameter. To specify multiple options, separate them with vertical bar `|` characters.

4. Create an empty string where you’ll save the output.

5. Determine the number of pages with the `GetPageCount` method and loop through them.

6. Extract the text from each page with the `GetPageText` method and add it to the output string.

7. Save the output in a new text file with the standard `System.IO.StreamWriter` class.

8. Release unnecessary resources.

The example below extracts text from a PDF and saves the output in a TXT file:

### C#

```csharp

using GdPicturePDF gdpicturePDF = new GdPicturePDF();
// Load the source document.
gdpicturePDF.LoadFromFile(@"C:\temp\source.pdf");
// Optional: Configure text extraction.
gdpicturePDF.SetTextExtractionOptions(TextExtractionOptions.ExactWordLineMatching);
// Create an empty string where you'll save the output.
string outputText = "";
// Determine the number of pages and loop through them.
int pageCount = gdpicturePDF.GetPageCount();
for (int page = 1; page <= pageCount; page++)
{
    gdpicturePDF.SelectPage(page);
    // Extract the text from the page.
    string pageText = gdpicturePDF.GetPageText();
    // Add the extracted text to the output string.
    outputText += $"Page: { page.ToString() }\n{ pageText }\n";
}
// Save the output in a new text file.
System.IO.StreamWriter outputFile = new System.IO.StreamWriter(@"C:\temp\output.txt");
outputFile.WriteLine(outputText);
outputFile.Close();
// Release unnecessary resources.
gdpicturePDF.CloseDocument();

```

### VB.NET

```vb

Using gdpicturePDF As GdPicturePDF = New GdPicturePDF()
    ' Load the source document.
    gdpicturePDF.LoadFromFile("C:\temp\source.pdf")
    ' Optional: Configure text extraction.
    gdpicturePDF.SetTextExtractionOptions(TextExtractionOptions.ExactWordLineMatching)
    ' Create an empty string where you'll save the output.
    Dim outputText = ""
    ' Determine the number of pages and loop through them.
    Dim pageCount As Integer = gdpicturePDF.GetPageCount()
    For page = 1 To pageCount
        gdpicturePDF.SelectPage(page)
        ' Extract the text from the page.
        Dim pageText As String = gdpicturePDF.GetPageText()
        ' Add the extracted text to the output string.
        outputText += $"Page: " & page.ToString() & vbLf & pageText & vbLf
    Next
    ' Save the output in a new text file.
    Dim outputFile As StreamWriter = New StreamWriter("C:\temp\output.txt")
    outputFile.WriteLine(outputText)
    outputFile.Close()
    ' Release unnecessary resources.
    gdpicturePDF.CloseDocument()
End Using

```

#### Used methods

- [`CloseDocument`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.GdPicturePDF~CloseDocument.html)

- [`GetPageCount`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.GdPicturePDF~GetPageCount.html)

- [`GetPageText`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.GdPicturePDF~GetPageText.html)

- [`LoadFromFile`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.GdPicturePDF~LoadFromFile.html)

- [`SelectPage`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.GdPicturePDF~SelectPage.html)

- [`SetTextExtractionOptions`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.GdPicturePDF~SetTextExtractionOptions.html)

- [`TextExtractionOptions`](/api/gdpicture/GdPicture.NET.14.API~GdPicture14.TextExtractionOptions.html)

#### Related topics

- [Load a file](/guides/dotnet/load-a-file.md)

- [Save a file](/guides/dotnet/save-a-file.md)

---

## Related pages

- [Read text from PDFs and images in C#](/guides/dotnet/extraction/text/read.md)