Advanced Search Options

By default, the Search window displays basic search options. Click Use Advanced Search Options near the bottom of the window to display additional options. To restore the basic options, click Use Basic Search Options near the bottom of the window.

You can set a preference so that advanced search options always appear in the Search window. Access preferences by choosing Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat > Preferences (Mac OS). Then select Search under Categories.

Return Results Containing

Restricts your search results according to the option you choose:

Match Exact Word Or Phrase

Searches for the entire string of characters, including spaces, in the same order in which they appear in the text box.

Match Any Of The Words

Searches for any instances of at least one of the words typed. For example, if you search for each of, the results include any instances in which one or both of the two words appear: each, of, each of, or of each.

Match All Of The Words

Searches for instances that contain all your search words, but not necessarily in the order you type them. Available only for a search of multiple PDFs or index definition files.

Boolean Query

Uses the Boolean operators that you type with the search words into the What Word Or Phrase Would You Like To Search For box. Available only for searching multiple PDFs or PDF indexes.

Note: You cannot run wildcard searches using asterisks (*) or question marks (?) when searching PDF indexes.

Use These Additional Criteria (text options)

Includes the basic search options plus four additional options:

Look In

Restricts the search to the current PDF, parts or all of a currently open PDF package (if applicable), an index, or a location on your computer. If you choose to search an index, a location, or a PDF package, additional options appear under Use These Additional Criteria.

Proximity

Searches for two or more words that are separated by no more than a specified number of words, as set in the Search preferences. Available only for a search of multiple documents or index definition files, and when Match All Of The Words is selected.

Stemming

Finds words that contain part (the stem) of the specified search word. For example, a search for opening finds instances of open, opened, opens, and openly. This option applies to single words and phrases when you search the current PDF, a folder, or an index created with Acrobat 6.0 or later. Wildcard characters (*, ?) aren’t permitted in stemming searches. Stemming isn’t available if either Whole Words Only or Case-Sensitive is selected.

Include Bookmarks

Searches the text of any bookmarks, as viewed in the Bookmarks panel.

Include Comments

Searches the text of any comments added to the PDF, as viewed in the Comments panel.

Include Attachments

Searches PDFs that are attached to the current PDF or other attached PDFs (up to two levels deep).

Use These Additional Criteria (document properties)

Appears only for searches across multiple PDFs or PDF indexes. You can select multiple property-modifier-value combinations and apply them to searches.

Note: You can search by document properties alone simply by leaving the What Word Or Phrase Would You Like To Search For box at the top of the Search window blank. Or, you can use document property options in combination with a search for specific text.

Check box

Applies the criteria set in the three connected options to the search. (The check box is selected automatically when you enter information in any of the three options for that set. After you enter options, deselecting the check box doesn’t clear the entries; they just aren’t applied to the search.)

First menu (property)

Indicates the document characteristic to search for. The available options include Date Created, Date Modified, Author, Title, Subject, Filename, Keywords, Bookmarks, Comments, JPEG Images, XMP Metadata, and Object Data.

Second menu (modifier)

Indicates the level of matching. If the first menu selection is a date, the available options in the second menu are Is Exactly, Is Before, Is After, Is Not. Otherwise, the available options are Contains and Does Not Contain.

Third box (value or text)

Indicates the information to be matched, which you type in. If the first menu selection is a date, you can click the arrow to open a calendar that you can navigate to find and select the date you want.