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To compare two PDF versions in Acrobat Pro, open All tools > Compare files, select the old and new files, choose settings suited to their layout, and select Compare. Acrobat creates a separate results document with a summary and controls for navigating changes. The exact screen can vary as Adobe rolls out a newer interface.
Compare two PDF versions
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Open both PDF versions in Acrobat.
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Select All tools > Compare files.
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Check the old and new file selections. Use Change File to choose a different file; use the swap control if the versions are in the wrong positions.
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Choose the comparison settings that fit the documents. You can also enter page numbers in the Old File and New File fields to limit the comparison to selected pages.
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Select Compare. Acrobat analyzes the files and opens a new comparison results document.
Adobe documents this Compare Files workflow for Acrobat Pro. See Adobe’s instructions for comparing two PDF versions.
Choose the right comparison settings
The document type affects how Acrobat matches pages and interprets changes. Choose based on how the content is laid out and what you need to review.
Reports, spreadsheets, and magazine layouts
Choose Reports, Spreadsheets, Magazine Layouts when text or content can reflow across pages. Acrobat treats the material as a continuous text body, making this option suited to documents whose page breaks may shift between versions.
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Presentation decks
Choose Presentation Decks when each page behaves like a slide and content does not reflow. Acrobat treats each page as a mini-document, matches similar pages, and can identify pages that have moved.
Scans, drawings, and illustrations
Choose Scanned Documents, drawing or illustrations for scanned pages, drawings, or other image-based content. Acrobat compares page images, can match similar scanned pages, and can identify pages in a different order. It compares text separately from graphics and combines those findings in the results.
Text changes without graphics
Select Compare text only when you want to focus on text and ignore graphics differences. Adobe describes this mode as designed for documents of 250 pages or more; that is product guidance, not a measured performance guarantee. It also works with documents containing background artwork, though Adobe notes that processing can be slower.
Review and save the comparison report
The first page of the results document summarizes the differences. Select Go to First Change, Next Change, or Previous Change to move through them.
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Side-by-side view: The old version appears on the left and the new version on the right. Highlighted bands connect corresponding changes.
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Single-page view: Review changes in one file at a time.
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Filter: Use the Filter menu to control which categories of changes appear. Annotations, formatting, and background differences are off by default, so check the filters if you are looking for those kinds of edits.
To keep the report, save it from the hamburger menu on Windows or the File menu on macOS.
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Adobe’s workflow and setting guidance is in Compare two versions of a PDF file in Adobe Acrobat (updated September 26, 2024). Adobe also describes a separate document-comparison capability through AI Assistant in its Acrobat tools overview (updated February 14, 2025); that is distinct from the Compare Files workflow above.
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