Free PDF search

Search for words in PDFs, including scanned pages.

Find a phrase in a long report, a name in a scan, or a term in your textbook. See each match with its page number and jump straight to the original.

Free local searchNo account neededPDFs up to 100 MB

What would you like to find?

or drag a PDF onto this page

Text search and on-device OCR keep your pages on this device. Online recognition processes only the scope you confirm. Listening and AI use their normal allowances.

Try a text PDF Try a scanned PDF

Find the passage, then keep working

Search directly inside a PDF you already have. Results include the page and context, so you can check the original before saving an excerpt, adding a note or listening to the passage.

1. Open your PDF

Choose a file or try a sample. Local PDFs open in your browser.

2. Search a word or phrase

Use the search box. If pages have no usable text, choose how to recognize them.

3. Open the original match

Check the highlighted passage. Export matches with page numbers or continue reading.

Long papers and reports

Find a term without scrolling through every chapter. Check surrounding text and use the file page number to return to the same evidence.

Scanned documents

Recognize pages that do not have usable text. Search completed pages while the rest of the selected scope is processed.

Manuals, names and numbers

Find a model number, a name or a phrase. Use whole-word matching when a short term also appears inside longer words.

Know what has been searched

The reader shows how many pages have searchable text, which are still being checked and which failed. Searchable text can still contain OCR mistakes. Exports include available matches and identify the file pages so you can verify them.

Questions about searching PDFs

How do I search for a word in a PDF?

Choose your PDF, type a word or phrase, and open a result. Each match shows its file page and surrounding text. Use Enter and Shift+Enter to move between matches.

Why does Ctrl+F find nothing in my PDF?

An image-only scan has no text to search. Other files can have broken text, split words, or pages still being checked. Open the original page, inspect its text, and recognize the pages that need it.

Can I search a scanned PDF?

Yes. Choose on-device recognition for a page, a page range or pages needing text in the document. English and Chinese + English are supported locally. Online recognition is a separate option with a confirmed page scope. Check important names and numbers against the scan.

Are my files uploaded?

Opening a local PDF, searching its text and on-device OCR keep the document on your device. Online recognition sends the selected pages for processing after confirmation. Cloud saving, listening and AI are separate actions.

Is PDF search free without an account?

Local search, on-device OCR and local search exports do not require an account. Listening, AI and online processing retain their existing availability and limits. Files can be up to 100 MB each.

Does zero matches mean the word is absent?

Only the available text has been searched. The coverage indicator shows pages still being checked or needing recognition. Even after OCR finishes, recognition errors can hide a word; inspect important passages on the original page.