AI PDF Reader: Transform Your Document Workflow with Advanced PDF Processing

Fix 2. Make PDF Searchable

Step 1. Install AI PDF Reader on Windows or Mac and launch the tool. Click the "Open File " button to open the unsearchable PDF.

Step 2. Click the "Recognize Text Using OCR " button from the right sidebar.

Step 3. Select the "Searchable PDF " option and customize the language.

Step 4. Once the settings are customized, click "Perform OCR ". Afterward, wait till the scan and conversion are completed.

That's it! This way, you can easily and quickly convert a PDF that is not searchable to a PDF that is searchable and editable. Now you can use the AI PDF Reader search feature and search for the specific text seamlessly.

So, why struggle more? Download AI PDF Reader and quickly turn an image-based PDF into a searchable PDF.

To learn more about how to ocr a pdf, watch the below video:

Fix 3. Flatten PDF to Search Again

If your PDF has many layers, the content you want to search may be covered by the layers. So you can convert them into one layer, so that you will have no problem searching the PDF text. You can also use AI PDF Reader to flatten a PDF. Just click the button below to download AI PDF Reader and follow the guide below to flatten it.

Step 1. Open the PDF with AI PDF Reader, click on the "Save as Others" > "Save as Flatten"

Step 2. Check on the "Flatten Annotations and Form s", "Flatten watermarks ", and "Flatten Cropped Pages ". Then, click on the "Save As ".

Now, you can open the flattened PDF and search the text, and see if the problem is fixed.

Fix 4. Update The Software to the Latest Version

An outdated version of software can start malfunctioning. So, If you still want to keep your software to use, the first thing you should do to address the PDF search not working issue is to update the tool as follows. As most users use Adobe Acrobat, so we will take Adobe Acrobat as an example.

1. Launch Adobe Acrobat. Go to "Menu ".
2. Go to the "Help " tab from the top and select "Check for Updates ".
3. Install the update.

After updating Adobe Acrobat, open the PDF and try the search feature. If the issue is still there, proceed with the next fix.

Fix 5. Change the Search Settings of Adobe Acrobat

If you are using Adobe Acrobat and find that PDF searching not working as it highlights different words, the issue is likely in the "Search" settings. So, follow the steps below to fix it:

1. Launch Adobe Acrobat.
2. Go to Menu > Preferences > Search or press Ctrl + K.
3. Tap the "Purge Cache Contents " button. It will purge the cache and make the search functionality work seamlessly.
4. Uncheck "Enable fast find " to disable caching and avoid the issue in the future.

After completing the above steps, the search feature should work perfectly now.

Fix 6. Repair Installation

If you are using Adobe Acrobat, you can repair the installation to fix it, as the problem may be caused by the installation process of Adobe Acrobat missing some files, or a few files got corrupted. An incomplete installation can cause the PDF search feature to malfunction. However, the good thing is that Adobe Acrobat provides a built-in feature to repair the installation. So, follow the steps below to fix the PDF search not working issue with the repair installation feature:

1. Launch Adobe Acrobat. Click on the "Menu ".
2. Go to the "Help " tab from the top and select "Repair Installation ".
3. Click "Yes ".

After Adobe completes the repair process, use the search feature.

Fix 7. Enable the PDF Index via bFallbackOnix32 Registry Key

Another fix recommended by Adobe is to enable the PDF index via bFallbackOnix32 Registry Key. This approach is applicable to Windows, and the steps are as follows:

1. Close the Adobe Acrobat app.
2. Press the Windows icon key + R to launch Run.
3. Type "regedit.exe" and click OK.
4. Create the below key in the Registry Editor:

For Acrobat Reader:

Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureState

Key: bFallbackOnix32

Type: REG_DWORD

Value: 1

For Acrobat:

Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureState

Key: bFallbackOnix32

Type: REG_DWORD

Value: 1

• Close the Registry Editor.
• Now launch Adobe Acrobat, open the PDF, and use the search feature.

Fix 8. Uninstall and Reinstall the Software

If none of the above four fixes resolve the PDF search not working issue, then you should uninstall and reinstall the software, like Adobe Acrobat. This will remove any bugs/glitches in the Adobe tool and possibly resolve the issue. Here are the steps to uninstall and reinstall Adobe Acrobat:

1. Go to the "Settings " app from the Start menu.
2. Click Apps > Installed apps.
3. Search and select "Adobe Acrobat ".
4. Click "Uninstall ".

1. Go to the Adobe Acrobat official website and download the setup file.
2. Run the Adobe.exe file and complete the installation.

After completing the installation process, open the PDF and test the search feature.

Conclusion

The PDF search not working issue can occur at any time. Therefore, you should look at what is causing the issue, whether it's an image-based PDF or some malfunctions in the tool. Afterward, pick the relevant fix from the above list and resolve the issue. However, if you want to experience a seamless way to search PDFs or do edits/annotations, then AI PDF Reader is the best tool for you. Its AI-driven powerful capabilities and intuitive interface promise an efficient PDF management experience. Therefore, download AI PDF Reader and have a full-fledged PDF tool at your disposal.