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

Open Compare Files in Acrobat. Select your old and new PDF documents. Before comparing, make sure to check the 'Compare text only' option. This will ignore any pictures or graphics and only show text changes.

What are the different comparison modes in Acrobat Compare Files?

Autodetect: Acrobat automatically picks the best way to compare. Reports/Spreadsheets: Best for documents with lots of numbers and tables. Presentation Decks: Good for slides and presentations. These modes help Acrobat find changes more accurately depending on the type of document you are comparing.

What kind of results does Acrobat Compare Files show?

A summary page showing all the changes. Buttons to navigate 'Previous Change' and 'Next Change'. This helps you quickly review all differences in the document.

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Test Feedback Version Chaos

Over multiple tests, collecting inline feedback created conflicting versions and slowed validation. I want a process t…

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DBecome — “help me grow”Over multiple tests, collecting inline feedback created conflicting versions and slowed…+

Over multiple tests, collecting inline feedback created conflicting versions and slowed validation. I want a process that delivers clean, consolidated comments and a single approved test procedure. Propose a review workflow and a document control rule that gets focused technical feedback and avoids the 'too many cooks' problem.

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.

DiffThis is a short word for 'difference' and means what has changed between two versions.ExampleThe software showed a diff highlighting the new paragraph added to the second version of the contract.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

Collating feedback on test procedures takes too long and turns into version chaos

FAQ

about this task

Open Compare Files in Acrobat.
Select your old and new PDF documents.
Before comparing, make sure to check the 'Compare text only' option. This will ignore any pictures or graphics and only show text changes.

Autodetect: Acrobat automatically picks the best way to compare.
Reports/Spreadsheets: Best for documents with lots of numbers and tables.
Presentation Decks: Good for slides and presentations.
These modes help Acrobat find changes more accurately depending on the type of document you are comparing.

Compare Files fails if one or both PDF documents have security settings. These settings stop Acrobat from making changes or reading parts of the file needed for comparison. To fix this, you must remove the protection from both files before trying to compare them. You can usually find options to remove security in the 'Protect' tool.

Yes, Acrobat allows you to compare signed document versions. This helps you see if any changes were made after the document was signed. You can find specific instructions on how to do this in the Adobe help section for managing digital signatures and comparing versions.

A summary page showing all the changes.
Buttons to navigate 'Previous Change' and 'Next Change'.
This helps you quickly review all differences in the document.

Test Feedback Version Chaos

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails