Windows Search Does Not Find Text in PDFs (Applies to Callouts, Text Boxes, and Typewriter Text Boxes)

Question

What settings or steps, if any, can I use so that "annotation" types of text are found when using Windows to search PDFs for a specific word or words?

Environment

• Windows 10
• Acrobat 10 (Acrobat X)

Note: This is my current environment, but someday I will be upgrading. I have no idea if the search problem occurs regardless of Windows and/or Acrobat versions.

This Works

Finding text in a PDF file, if the text was

• originally created in Word, or
• scanned and converted to OCR, or
• added to the PDF as a header or footer.

This Does NOT Work

Finding text in a PDF file when the text is created using the Acrobat content "annotation" tools (text box, typewriter tool, or callout tool).

In addition to running several tests with the above listed annotation tools, I ran the Action Wizard/Recognize Text tool thinking that might help. No success.

Answer 1

Solution

Create a new PDF by printing to PDF (yes, printing; not saving).

1. Save the PDF.
2. With the file still open, choose PRINT > Adobe PDF
3. When prompted, save the file with either the same name or a new name.
4. If printing seems stalled, then look in the Windows tray for a printer icon and click it to see the prompt to save the file.

I tried the above steps with both Acrobat Pro X and with Acrobat Reader DC. In both cases, the text was transformed from "annnotation" text into "normal" text, so that Windows Search will now find the files containing specific words.

BUT, the original annotations are no longer editable as such. The annotation will look the same, but it's not editable. For example, a callout still looks like a callout, but I could not delete, change, or add words. I was limited to using the proofreading tools (underline, strikeout, etc., or to adding new annotations).