How do I compare two PDF files in Adobe Acrobat?

Go to 'All tools' in Acrobat. Select 'Compare files'. Choose the older and newer PDF documents you want to compare. Acrobat will then show you a report of the differences.

What are the different comparison modes in Compare Files?

Autodetect: Acrobat tries to guess the best way to compare your files. Reports/Spreadsheets: This mode is best for documents with lots of numbers or tables. Presentation Decks: Use this for slides or presentations. You can also choose 'Compare text only' to ignore images and focus on words.

Document Discrepancy Facts in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Add comments to the delivery discrepancy report for [route=Route 9] showing the missing pallet…+

Add comments to the delivery discrepancy report for [route=Route 9] showing the missing pallet and damaged cartons, then notify operations manager [approver=Sam Ortiz] so he sees the facts and next steps.

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

BImprove — “do it better”Make [assignee=Sam Ortiz]'s job easier: annotate the report with timestamped photos, quantify…+

Make [assignee=Sam Ortiz]'s job easier: annotate the report with timestamped photos, quantify missing SKUs and damage counts up front, state likely root causes, and suggest two corrective actions to reduce back-and-forth questions.

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

PDFA common file type used to share documents that look the same everywhere.ExampleShe saved the brochure as a PDF so everyone would see the exact same layout and fonts.

VersionA version is a specific copy of a file at a certain time, like 'version 1' or 'version 2'.ExampleYou save your report as 'report_v1' and then 'report_v2' after making major edits.

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.

Who does this

3 roles

EditorLegal AssistantProject Manager

FAQ

about this task

Go to 'All tools' in Acrobat.
Select 'Compare files'.
Choose the older and newer PDF documents you want to compare.
Acrobat will then show you a report of the differences.

Comparing PDF files helps you quickly find changes between two versions of a document. This is useful for checking revisions in contracts, reports, or any document where accuracy is important. It saves time by highlighting only the differences, so you don't have to read everything again.

Compare Files fails with a security error when one or both of your PDF documents have protection settings. These settings stop Acrobat from reading or changing the file, which is needed for comparison. To fix this, you must first remove the security protection from both PDF files before you try to compare them.

Yes, when you use Compare Files, you can choose an option called 'Compare text only'. This setting tells Acrobat to look only at the words in your documents. It will ignore any pictures or other graphics. This is helpful if you only care about text changes and not visual differences.

Autodetect: Acrobat tries to guess the best way to compare your files.
Reports/Spreadsheets: This mode is best for documents with lots of numbers or tables.
Presentation Decks: Use this for slides or presentations.
You can also choose 'Compare text only' to ignore images and focus on words.

Document Discrepancy Facts

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails