About the Search in PDFs
Your PDF viewer can search the file that's open, but it cannot search across a whole folder of documents. This tool can. Add one or many PDF files, type a word or phrase and it lists every match, grouped by file, with the page number and a snippet of the surrounding text with the match highlighted. You can match capital letters exactly or search whole words only, and copy the results to share. It reads the text inside the PDFs in your browser, so the files are never uploaded. Scanned PDFs that are only pictures of pages contain no text to search and need OCR first.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Search in PDFs
- 1Add one or more PDF files.
- 2Type the word or phrase to search for.
- 3Tick match capital letters or whole words if you need them.
- 4Read the matches, grouped by file with page numbers and context.
- 5Press Copy results to take the list with you.
Good ways to search
- Use a distinctive word first, then narrow with a phrase
- Turn on Whole words to avoid matching inside longer words
- Turn on Match capital letters to tell apart names like Mark and mark
- Search for numbers such as an invoice number or a date
- Search several versions of a contract to find where clauses differ
When the text can't be found
PDFs created from scanners or phone cameras often have no text layer, so a search finds nothing even when the word is clearly visible. Running OCR creates a new PDF with the text behind the image. Some PDFs also store text in an odd order or with strange spacing, which can split words. If a search seems to miss something, try a shorter part of the word.
Related tools
PDF to Text extracts all the text so you can copy it, PDF OCR makes scanned pages searchable, Compare PDFs shows the differences between two versions, the PDF Viewer lets you read a file and Redact PDF removes sensitive words. Everything runs in your browser.
Features
- Search several PDFs at once
- Page number for every match
- Highlighted context around each match
- Match capital letters or whole words only
- Phrases match even across line breaks
- Copy the results
- Files never leave your device
Frequently asked questions
How do I search for a word in several PDF files at once?
Add all the PDFs with the file button, then type your word. The tool reads the text of every page of every file and lists each match with its file name, page number and surrounding words. You can add more files later or remove ones you don't need.
Why does it find nothing in my PDF?
The PDF may be a scan, which stores pictures of pages with no actual text inside. The tool tells you when it finds no text at all. Use the PDF OCR tool to make the scan searchable first. Also check your spelling and try turning off Match capital letters and Whole words only.
Does it find phrases that continue onto the next line?
Yes. Spaces and line breaks in your search are matched flexibly, so a phrase split over two lines in the PDF is still found. The snippets show the text on one line.
Are my PDFs uploaded?
No. The files are opened and searched entirely in your browser, so confidential contracts, reports or books never leave your device. Closing the page removes them from memory.
Is there a limit on how many matches are shown?
Up to 500 matches are listed for each file so the page stays fast, but the count shows the true total. Narrow your search with Whole words or a longer phrase if you hit the limit.
Can it search password-protected PDFs?
Not directly. Remove the password first with the Unlock PDF tool, if you are allowed to, and then add the unlocked file here.