How do I compare two versions of a PDF using Compare Files?

First, open Acrobat and go to 'All tools'. Then, select 'Compare files'. Choose your older PDF and your newer PDF. Acrobat will then show you a summary of all the changes found, making it easy to review.

What is the purpose of comparing text only in Compare Files?

Comparing text only means Acrobat will ignore any pictures or graphics in your documents. This is useful when you only care about changes in the words, like in a text-heavy report or legal document. It helps you focus on the written content without being distracted by image differences.

Why does Compare Files sometimes fail and say 'These documents have security settings'?

Compare Files fails when a PDF has security settings that prevent changes or comparisons. This is a protection feature. To fix this, you need to remove the security settings from both PDF files before trying to compare them. Look for the 'Protect' feature in Acrobat to manage these settings.

If I compare two signed document versions, what does Compare Files show me?

When you compare two signed document versions, Compare Files focuses on changes made after each signature. It helps you see if any content was altered once a document was signed. This is very important for legal or official documents where preserving the integrity of a signed version is critical. The tool highlights these post-signature modifications.

What are the different comparison modes available in Compare Files?

Autodetect: Acrobat tries to figure out the best way to compare your files. Reports/Spreadsheets: Best for documents with lots of numbers or tables. Presentation Decks: Good for slides or visual documents. 'Compare text only': Ignores pictures and only looks for text changes.

Compare PDFs programmatically using Adobe PDF Services API in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

3 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Compare these two PDF files and show the differences:…+

Compare these two PDF files and show the differences: [PDF file 1], [PDF file 2].

when the reply comes backWould you like a summary of the main changes?

BImprove — “do it better”Highlight the differences between these PDFs in a clear way:…+

Highlight the differences between these PDFs in a clear way: [PDF file 1], [PDF file 2].

when the reply comes backNeed help understanding what the differences mean?

CDecide — “help me choose”Compare these PDFs and tell me which is better to use:…+

Compare these PDFs and tell me which is better to use: [PDF file 1], [PDF file 2].

when the reply comes backWant to save the comparison results as a new PDF?

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Sign up for an Adobe Developer account and create a new project in the Adobe Developer Console.
Best practiceYou must enable the PDF Services API in your project to access PDF comparison features.
2
Generate or download your API credentials (Client ID and Client Secret) from the Adobe Developer Console.
3
Install the official Adobe PDF Services SDK for your programming language (e.g., Node.js, Java, .NET) using your package manager.
Best practiceRefer to the Adobe PDF Services SDK documentation for installation commands specific to your language.
4
Authenticate your application using the credentials to obtain an access token.
CautionNever expose your Client Secret in client-side code or public repositories.
5
Prepare the two PDF files you want to compare as input streams or file paths, depending on your SDK.
Best practiceFor best results, avoid using scanned PDFs as input; use digitally generated PDFs when possible.
6
Use the Compare operation from the PDF Services SDK or REST API, specifying the base and target PDF files.
Best practiceYou can configure comparison options such as sensitivity and output format if supported by the SDK.
7
Execute the comparison request and retrieve the result, which is typically a PDF highlighting the differences or a data structure describing the changes.
Best practiceYou can programmatically process the output to extract change metadata or present the diff PDF to users.
8
Handle errors and exceptions according to the SDK's guidelines to ensure robust automation.
Best practiceLog API responses for troubleshooting and compliance auditing.

In the appWith the API

You can visually compare two PDFs in Acrobat, but for automation, use the Adobe PDF Services API as described here.

The Adobe PDF Services API provides a Compare operation that programmatically compares two PDFs and returns a diff PDF or change data.

The real tasks

all 2, listed here

Compare files for differences in dreamweaver

Two versions floated during last-minute edits; I don’t know which to deploy.

FAQ

about this task

You need to upload both PDF files to the API, and it will automatically check for any changes or differences between them, giving you a clear report.

Comparing PDFs programmatically means using a computer or software to automatically check and show the differences between two PDF files, instead of doing it by hand.

Yes, the API can spot even small changes, like a single word or number, so you don't miss anything important when comparing files.

The API is much faster and more accurate than looking at the files yourself, and it can spot changes you might miss, especially in long or complex documents.

People compare PDF files to make sure nothing important was changed, to track updates, or to check for mistakes before sharing or signing documents.

Compare PDFs programmatically using Adobe PDF Services API

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails