In the past month I found three instances where applied corrections on page proofs didn't match our master tracked fil…
Open Adobe Acrobat on your computer.
Go to Tools and select Compare Files.
Click Select File under 'Compare' and choose your first PDF (the older or original version).
Click Select File under 'With' and choose your second PDF (the newer or revised version).
Click Compare to start the comparison.
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.
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.
'Compare text only' means Acrobat will only look for changes in the words and numbers in your PDF files. It will ignore any pictures, drawings, or other visual elements. This is useful when you only care about written content.
If you see this message, it means one or both of your PDF files are protected. Acrobat cannot compare protected files. You need to remove the security settings from both documents first. Look for options to 'Protect' or 'Unprotect' your PDF files in Acrobat to do this.
Comparing signed document versions is important because it lets you see exactly what changes were made after a document was signed. This helps you confirm that no unauthorized changes occurred, which is crucial for legal or official documents where signatures confirm agreement to the content.
| Mode | Description | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Autodetect | Acrobat automatically chooses the best comparison method for your files. | Most general documents, presentations, or mixed content PDFs. |
| Reports/Spreadsheets | Acrobat focuses on finding changes in data, like numbers and tables. | Documents with lots of tables, financial reports, or data-heavy PDFs. |