How do I compare two versions of a PDF document?

First, open Acrobat. Go to 'All tools' and select 'Compare files'. Then, choose your old and new PDF files. Click 'Compare'. Acrobat will show you a summary of changes and let you navigate them.

What is the difference between 'Autodetect' and 'Compare text only' when comparing PDFs?

Setting What it does When to use it. Autodetect Acrobat tries to figure out the best way to compare your files, looking at both text and images. Most of the time, for general documents like reports or letters. Compare text only Acrobat only compares the words and numbers, ignoring all pictures, drawings, or other graphics. When you only care about text changes, like in a legal document or a long text draft, and don't want to see image differences.

What kind of results can I expect after comparing two PDF files?

A summary page showing the total number of changes found. A way to navigate through each change, moving from one difference to the next. Highlights in the document showing exactly where text, images, or formatting have changed.

Compare MTA Versions in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Collect signed MTAs and compare versions: gather signed material transfer agreements from our…+

Collect signed MTAs and compare versions: gather signed material transfer agreements from our partners, compare each signed copy against our baseline to confirm identical terms, and flag any deviations for legal review.

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

BImprove — “do it better”Before the legal review, lower back-and-forth: collect all signed MTAs, run a version compare…+

Before the legal review, lower back-and-forth: collect all signed MTAs, run a version compare against our master MTA, produce a redline summary showing clause changes and signer names, and highlight any negotiation points for Legal's quick decision.

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.

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.

AutodetectA setting that lets Acrobat choose the best way to compare your files.ExampleWith autodetect enabled, the software automatically chose the best settings for comparing the two document versions.

Who does this

3 roles

EditorLegal AssistantProject Manager

FAQ

about this task

First, open Acrobat. Go to 'All tools' and select 'Compare files'.
Then, choose your old and new PDF files.
Click 'Compare'. Acrobat will show you a summary of changes and let you navigate them.

The 'Compare Files' tool cannot read or process files that have security settings. These settings protect the document from changes or viewing without permission. To use the tool, you must first remove any security settings from both PDF files. This allows Acrobat to access the content and compare it.

Setting	What it does	When to use it
Autodetect	Acrobat tries to figure out the best way to compare your files, looking at both text and images.	Most of the time, for general documents like reports or letters.
Compare text only	Acrobat only compares the words and numbers, ignoring all pictures, drawings, or other graphics.	When you only care about text changes, like in a legal document or a long text draft, and don't want to see image differences.

No, comparing signed document versions will not affect the digital signatures. The 'Compare Files' tool only shows you the differences between the content of the documents. It does not change the files themselves or their signatures.

A summary page showing the total number of changes found.
A way to navigate through each change, moving from one difference to the next.
Highlights in the document showing exactly where text, images, or formatting have changed.

Compare MTA Versions

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails