In this article, you will learn about how to search in PDF on Mac, and at the end you will say that it is easier task and i can do it myself.
Everyone love PDF format file to share on email, social media or other sources. If sometime you need to find out little content into your PDF then don’t take headaches because here we will explore about how to search for a word in a PDF file on Mac
Preview is a Mac’s built-in utility that allows to keep handle PDF document and all images. And it also lets you to find an exact phrase or word with in your PDF document on Mac quickly and easily. Here’s how:
Launch Preview and then open PDF.
Next navigate to File > Edit > Find, otherwise open search toolbar in window by pressing <Command + F> to find a PDF on Mac.
Further you have to put a certain word you wish to search in the field and that word will be highlighted in yellow colour as following.
How to Search Exact Phrase PDF on Mac without Preview
Your favorite internet browsers like as (Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox) are getting to enable search functions. Here we will show you about to search a PDF in Google Chrome on Mac machine.
Launch Google Chrome browser and then open new one Tab.
Next drag and drop PDF document into tab to open it.
Further need to press <Command + F> to enable the search function.
And then enter the word you wish to search in PDF on Mac, and click arrow up or down icon to search the desired portion.
Adobe Acrobat has amazing multiple features as well as allowing to search a PDF on Mac, but it is paid version. You can also use free Adobe Acorbat Reader DC to search a specific word or phrase into PDF file on your Mac. How to use it:
If you have lots of PDFs and want to search any words into them then you can search one by one PDFs, but now more time will be consumed to find them. Then we will suggest you <PDF Expert> because it allows you to search a word or phrase into multiple PDFs at a same time. How to use it:
Firstly launch the PDF Expert program on your Mac and then open all desired PDF documents.
Next press <Cmd + F> otherwise hit on search field that showing at the top right corner.
Further insert the word or phrase and then hit the <Enter> key from your keyboard.
Now in the search results, choose <All Tabs>, and then PDF Expert displays the output from all opened PDFs.
And then click on a search result to jump to corresponding page. It is easier to compare many PDF documents and search exact what you require.
Mac’s preview and Google Chrome do not allow to search a phrase and word in a scanned PDF on your Mac, because firstly you have to need to make it searchable file then you can go to find word.
Cisdem PDF Converter OCR lets you to make PDF as searchable then you can search a word and phrase into this searchable PDF file. Here’ how:
Firstly open the <Cisdem PDF Converter OCR> and upload PDF file.
Go to <Converter> and drag and drop scanned PDF document into this software.
Once PDF is uploaded, select the output format as a PDF and choose page range. You must be turned on OCR button.
This software also lets you to add password to your PDF files, and you can also set password for your desired PDF if it need.
Now click on <Convert> to begin OCR on PDF, and then this will provide you a searchable PDF with in few seconds.
And finally, open this scanned PDF into Preview and search a word and exact phrase.
Fix: Mac’s Preview Search Not Working
Preview is an amazing PDF tool on you Mac, but sometimes “Mac Preview Search Not Working” due to common issue. Here we will show you many fixes:
Checking to PDF is Searchable or Not
Scanned PDFs are not able to search on Mac computer. In this scenario, firstly you have to make it as searchable before finding any word. OCR tool will let you to make searchable PDF.
Close and Again Open PDF
If, Preview Search is not able to search, then close PDF and open again, and to enable search feature
Repairing to PDF File
If Preview and your PDF editor are working properly, but PDF is not able to search, then PDF might be destroyed. PDF document can be created from another platform and encoding may be different. If this issue related to encoding, then you can prefer online PDF repair service.
Getting to Upgrade Preview
Sometimes “Mac Preview Search Not Working” encounter due to Mojave, then user are suggested to upgrade their macOS.
