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How to Search a PDF

3 ways to find a word or phrase in a PDF

By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 16, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services

What to Know

Hands-down easiest: Press Ctrl+F in Windows or Command+F on a Mac.Most options also allow some form of advanced search such as case sensitive or whole word match. This article explains how to search a PDF using a web browser, Adobe Reader, or Mac's Preview app.

How to Search a PDF Using Your Web Browser

There are several ways to search for a word or phrase in a PDF, depending on the application you are using to view it. The most common way to view a PDF is through a web browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Even if the PDF is located on your computer rather than the web, it will often open in your default browser. Things are a little different for Mac users, who will find a PDF on their Mac to open in Preview, a handy app quite capable of previewing most files. Lifewire Most options also allow some form of advanced search such as case sensitive of whole word match. If you need to search for a word in the PDF and your browser doesn't support whole word match, put a space at the beginning or the end of the search phrase. Whether you use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox or even Internet Explorer, searching a PDF for a particular word or phrase is quite simple. Most web browsers open a PDF in a reader within the browser.
Search using the Find keyboard shortcut. On a Windows computer, use Ctrl+F. On a Mac, it is Command+F. Google Chrome has a simple find interface with up-and-down buttons to find the next match or the previous match and an X button to close the search window.Microsoft Edge opens a bar across the top. In addition to left and right buttons that Find Next and Find Previous, you can click the Options button to match whole words, which means day won't match with today. You can also choose a case-sensitive search.Apple's Safari browser has left and right buttons to perform Find Next and Find Previous.Mozilla Firefox's search bar will appear at the bottom of the screen. In addition to up and down buttons for Find Next and Find Previous, you can Match Case, find Whole Words and Highlight All if you want every matching phrase to be highlighted.Internet Explorer displays a small window with left and right buttons for Find Next and Find Previous. Of special note is the black down button. This button will open a menu for case sensitive searches, whole word searches or Full Reader Search, which creates an index for every matched word or phrase. Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and recommends that you update to the newer Edge browser. Head to their site to download the newest version.

How to Search a PDF Using Adobe Reader

Most PDFs on Windows-based PCs open in a web browser by default, but if you have Adobe Reader installed, it may open in the reader. Adobe Reader uses the same interface as Internet Explorer. Or, perhaps more accurately, Internet Explorer borrows Reader's interface. Begin a search by using Ctrl+F (or Command+F on a Mac) and use the left and right arrows to find the previous or next match. The down arrow provides a menu with Whole Word search, Case Sensitive search and Full Reader Search, which creates an index of all matches. Lifewire

How to Search a PDF Using Mac' s Preview App

If you double-click a PDF on your Mac, it opens in the Preview app by default. The search bar in the top-right corner is always present in Preview, but the Command+F shortcut still works and will place your cursor in the search bar. After you search, an index of all found words or phrases will appear on the left side of the screen. All found results are highlighted in Preview, with the current found phrase highlighted in green rather than yellow. Toggle through the matches by clicking the left and right arrows at the top of the screen for Find Previous and Find Next. Lifewire Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Search in Google Sheets Search Engines: What They Are & How They Work How to Control F On a Mac How to Convert Excel Documents to the PDF Format How to Control F on iPad How to Search for a Word on Mac How to Search for a Word on a Web Page How to Insert a PDF Into Word How to Control F on Android 10 Best PDF Splitter Tools & Methods How to Stop Adobe Reader From Opening PDFs in the Browser The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts in 2022 What Is a PDF File? (And How to Open One) How to Save an Outlook Email as a PDF How to Write on a PDF How to Do Control F on an iPhone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies