Find & Advanced Search Function in Acrobat

    If you want to run a search on a PDF, you have two options: Find and Advanced Search. Let's start by looking at the Find option.


    1. 1

      Select 'Find' to initiate search within an open PDF

      If you want to search inside an already open PDF, you will use the Find command (this is a limited search, obviously).

      The ability to search across a range of PDFs (regardless of whether you have them open) is called Full Acrobat Search and will be covered in a later step.

      One way to initiate the Find option is to click on the toolbar icon as shown below.

      Another way to initiate the Find option is from the menu, as shown below.
      1. Click Edit
      2. Then select Find
    2. 2

      Initiate search

      Once you select the Find command, you’ll see a search box appear in the upper right-hand portion of Acrobat’s interface. Enter your search phrase in that area.
    3. 3

      Select find options (if you want)

      If you want more options for how the search is performed, you can open a small drop-down menu in the Find box, as shown below.
      1. Click on the gear icon.
      2. Select from the options presented

      You can search whole words or make your search case sensitive. You can also include bookmarks and comments in your search.

      Choosing Open Full Acrobat Search will trigger the Advanced Search feature covered below.
      You can keep hitting the Enter key to move to the next search term if there is more than one search result.
    4. 4

      Using the 'Full Acrobat Search' (i.e. advanced search)

      If you want to search across a range of PDFs (regardless of whether you have them open) use the Full Acrobat Search option. If you have the Find window open on the right, here's the process for initiating an advanced search.

      1. Click the Open Full Acrobat Search option
      2. This window will then pop up on the left hand side of the screen
    5. 5

      Choose Basic or Advanced Search

    6. 6

      Choose from basic options

      Many of the same options you were able to access from the drop-down menu under the Task Pane are available here as well.
    7. 7

      Or choose advanced options

      With the advanced options, you'll need to decide the scope of the search you want to perform.
      1. You can still limit the search to the open PDF, or
      2. You can search anywhere on your computer or computer network
    8. 8

      Monitor search action

      Once you choose the locations where you want the search performed, click the Search button. Then you’ll see results something like this.
    9. 9

      End