PDF has been everyone'south favorite file format for sharing documents. It's mostly because it retains all the text formatting and graphics inside information technology, and also the finish-user doesn't really need anything to open up it except for a gratis PDF reader software. The just downside of the PDF format is that you tin can't search for text within these files as hands as you can with other files.

Still, there are a few methods that permit you lot perform the PDF search operation so you can search for a specific word in multiple PDF files at once on your machine. The post-obit guide teaches you how to do just that.

How To Search Multiple PDF Files Using Acrobat Reader

The most pop mode to search a PDF or multiple PDF files is to employ the Acrobat Reader software on your estimator. Here'south how yous perform the task in the software.

  1. Open the Acrobat Reader on your computer.
  2. Click on the Edit menu and select Advanced Search.
  3. Select All PDF Documents in and then choose your PDF folder.
  4. Enter your search term in the input box.
  5. Click on the Search button.
  6. Hit Permit in the prompt on your screen.

The software will search for your given term in all the PDF files in your specified folder. You lot'll come across the results right in the search pane.

Searching For A Specific Search Term In Multiple PDF Files

Most PDF readers allow you search for any text you desire in your PDF files. It's because PDFs are scannable documents, and similar Microsoft Word files, their characters are also recognizable by your organization.

What you tin can't do easily with your PDF files, though, is that you tin't search for a specific term in multiple files at one time. Pressing the Control + F key only searches the current document that'due south open in the software only it doesn't search any other PDF files.

If you have a lot of PDF files lying effectually and yous're looking for something specific in them, your best option is to use the advanced search characteristic of Acrobat Reader. It lets you look for your specific search terms in all the PDF files available in a single location on your calculator.

Here's the entire procedure to do so with Acrobat Reader:

Download and install Acrobat Reader if yous don't already have it on your computer.

Launch the software and you'll see your recent files list. The option you're looking for is located in the Edit menu. Click on the Edit menu at the peak and select the selection that says Advanced Search. Alternatively, you tin printing Shift + Ctrl + F.

On the following screen, set the options as the following:

Where would you like to search? – select All PDF Documents in and then use the dropdown menu to select the folder where your multiple PDFs are saved.
What word or phrase would you like to search for? – enter the word you want to search for in your PDF files.

You can utilise the additional options to customize how your word is searched, such every bit tick-marker the Case-Sensitive checkbox and then your search query is case-sensitive, and and so on.

Finally, click on the Search button to begin searching.

You tin can then review the results when they announced on your screen.

Using Windows Search To Search Inside PDF Files

PDF files can besides be searched using the default Windows search option on your Windows machine. You need to first enable an option though every bit shown below.

Head to Control Panel > Indexing Options and click on Avant-garde.

Select the File Types tab on the post-obit screen and look for pdf in the listing. Tick-mark the box for pdf. Then enable the Index Properties and File Contents option and click on OK.

It's fourth dimension to add the PDF folders into the index list. To do then, open the same Indexing Options dialog box and click on Modify. And so cull the folder where your PDFs are and click on OK to get the folders added for PDF indexing.

One time Windows has finished indexing your PDFs and their contents, you'll be able to search for text within multiple PDF files at once.

Use SeekFast To Search PDF Files

SeekFast also lets you hands search for your terms in various file types including PDF. Here's how information technology works.

  • Download and install the software on your figurer.
  • Launch the software, enter in your search term into the search box at the meridian, click on the Browse button to select your PDF folder, and finally hitting Search.

It'll search for terms in all the PDF files located in your chosen directory.

Performing A PDF Search Using Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader as well comes equipped with avant-garde search capabilities and you lot tin employ information technology to find whatsoever it is you want in your multiple PDF files.

Become the software installed on your computer so launch it.

Click on the search icon adjacent to the search box at the top-right bill of fare. It opens advanced search options.

On the following screen, select your PDF folder from the beginning dropdown menu, enter in your search term in the search box, checkmark other filters if you lot want to apply them, and finally hitting that Search button.

Your search results should at present be on your screen.

How To Use UltraFinder To Search PDF Files

UltraFinder is an advanced search tool for Windows machines and information technology can be used to search for text within your PDF files besides.

Install and launch the tool on your Windows figurer.

Set up the options equally the following and so information technology searches the contents of your PDF files. Then hit the green play button to start searching.

Find matches past – File contents
Find what – enter your search term here
Find where – add the directory where your PDFs are located
In files/types – *.pdf

Information technology'll list out all the PDF files that it establish your search word in.