Buzz
This article provides a guide on how to search for specific words or sentences in a PDF document using the free Adobe Reader DC application or the Google Chrome web browser for both Mac and Windows, or by using the Preview app on Mac.
Steps
Using Adobe Reader DC
Open the PDF document with Adobe Acrobat Pro. This is the program with a red Adobe Reader icon featuring a stylized "A". After launching the program, click on File and then select Open. Next, choose the PDF file and click Open.
- If you don't have Adobe Reader DC, you can download it for free by visiting https://get.adobe.com/reader/ in your browser and clicking on Download Now.
Click on Edit (Edit) in the menu bar.
Click on Find (Find).
Type the word or phrase into the 'Find' dialog box.
Click on Next (Next). The word or phrase you are searching for will be highlighted in the document.
- Click Next or Previous to navigate to the location of the word or phrase in the text.
Using Google Chrome browser
Open PDF files with Chrome browser. You can access PDF documents online or open a PDF file from your computer by right-clicking the file, selecting Open with, and choosing Google Chrome.
- If you're using a Mac without a two-button mouse, press Control and click or tap on the trackpad with two fingers.
Click on the ⋮ icon at the top-right corner of your browser.
Click on the Find option near the bottom of the displayed menu.
Type the word or phrase you are searching for. Chrome will highlight the results as you type.
- The yellow markers on the right-side scroll bar indicate where the matching results are located on the page.
Use Preview on Mac
Open a PDF file using the Preview application. Double-click the blue Preview icon, which looks like stacked photos, then click File in the menu bar and select Open... from the displayed menu. Choose a file from the dialog box and click Open.
- Preview is Apple's proprietary image viewer, typically pre-installed on most versions of macOS.
Click on the Edit on the menu bar.
Click on the Find option.
Click on the Find… option.
Type the word or phrase in the "Search" field at the top-right corner of the window.
Click on the Next to continue. The word or phrase you're searching for in the text will be highlighted.
- Click on < or > below the search field to navigate to the next or previous occurrence of the word or phrase in the text.
