How to compare two PDFs
- Choose the original PDF, then the changed one.
- Read the differences: added words are green, removed words are red and crossed out.
- Switch to Pages to see where each page looks different, including pictures and layout.
Comparing plain text instead? Paste it into the text compare tool.
Frequently asked questions
What does it compare?
The words. It reads the text of both PDFs and shows what was added (green), removed (red, crossed out) and kept, word by word, in the order of the newer file. The Pages view also lays each pair of pages over each other and shows in red where they look different, which catches changes to pictures, layout and signatures.
Can it compare scanned PDFs?
The words view needs PDFs with real text. For scans, use the Pages view, or turn both into text first with Scanned PDF to Text (OCR).
Does it ignore changes to spacing and line breaks?
Yes. Text is compared word by word, so a paragraph that only wraps differently, or extra spaces, don't count as changes. Tick “Ignore capitals” to also skip changes like “Contract” to “contract”.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Both PDFs are read and compared on your device and never leave it.