How do I compare only the text in two PDF files, ignoring pictures?

Open the 'Compare files' tool in Acrobat. Select your old and new PDF files. Before clicking 'Compare', make sure to tick the 'Compare text only' checkbox. This tells Acrobat to ignore any images or graphics and only show changes in the words.

What is the difference between 'Autodetect' and 'Reports/Spreadsheets' modes when comparing files?

Mode Best For How it Works. Autodetect General documents, mixed content (text, images) Acrobat automatically chooses the best comparison method for you. Reports/Spreadsheets Documents with lots of tables, numbers, and structured data Acrobat focuses on finding changes in data cells and table layouts.

Detect Pre-Production Changes in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

CDecide — “help me choose”Supplier sent a revised specification late and I only have a few hours to check it against our…+

Supplier sent a revised specification late and I only have a few hours to check it against our last approved version before procurement orders materials. I can't afford to miss a change that affects fit or finish. Tell me the quickest way to compare the two documents, name the top five things that usually change unexpectedly, and give a one-paragraph note I can send procurement highlighting risk items.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open Adobe Acrobat on your computer.
2
Go to Tools and select Compare Files.
3
Click Select File under 'Compare' and choose your first PDF (the older or original version).
4
Click Select File under 'With' and choose your second PDF (the newer or revised version).
5
Click Compare to start the comparison.
6
Review the results in the comparison summary and use the side-by-side view to examine highlighted differences.
Best practiceFor best results, avoid using scanned PDFs as input files, as text recognition may be inconsistent.

In the appWith the API

You can filter the comparison results to focus on text, images, or formatting changes for a clearer review.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Compare FilesThis tool helps you find differences between two similar PDF documents.ExampleYou use this tool to quickly spot the differences between an original and a revised PDF document.

Security SettingsRules that protect a PDF file, like preventing changes or copying.ExampleThe security settings on the PDF prevented anyone from printing or copying its contents.

Comparison ModeA setting that tells Acrobat how to look for differences in different types of documents.ExampleYou choose 'Text Only' comparison mode when comparing two versions of a contract.

Who does this

3 roles

EditorLegal AssistantProject Manager

FAQ

about this task

Open the 'Compare files' tool in Acrobat.
Select your old and new PDF files.
Before clicking 'Compare', make sure to tick the 'Compare text only' checkbox.
This tells Acrobat to ignore any images or graphics and only show changes in the words.

The 'Autodetect' mode in Compare Files automatically tries to figure out the best way to compare your two PDF documents. It is a good choice for most general documents because it saves you from having to pick a specific mode. Use it when you are not sure which comparison mode is best, and Acrobat will do its best to find all the changes for you.

The Compare Files tool fails with a security error because one or both of your PDF documents have protection settings. These settings stop Acrobat from reading or changing the file to find differences. To fix this, you need to remove the security settings from both PDF files first. After the protection is removed, you can use the Compare Files tool without problems. This ensures your document's security is respected.

Yes, you can compare signed document versions using the Compare Files tool. Acrobat has specific features to help you see what changed between different signed copies. This is very useful for legal or official documents to track every small alteration after a signature has been applied, ensuring transparency and record-keeping.

Mode	Best For	How it Works
Autodetect	General documents, mixed content (text, images)	Acrobat automatically chooses the best comparison method for you.
Reports/Spreadsheets	Documents with lots of tables, numbers, and structured data	Acrobat focuses on finding changes in data cells and table layouts.

Detect Pre-Production Changes

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails