This wikiHow teaches you how to locate a specific word or phrase within a PDF document using the free Adobe Reader DC application, Google Chrome, or Apple's Preview program installed on all Macs.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Adobe Reader DC

Step 1. Open the PDF document in question using Adobe Reader DC
The latter is characterized by a red icon in the shape of TO stylized, which represents the classic logo of the Adobe Reader product line. After the program window appears, access the "File" menu, choose the "Open" option, select the PDF file you want and press the "Open" button.
If you have not yet installed Adobe Reader DC on your computer, you can download the relevant file completely free of charge from the website https://get.adobe.com/reader/ by pressing the button Install Now.

Step 2. Access the Edit menu located on the menu bar located at the top of the program window

Step 3. Choose the Find option

Step 4. Type the word or phrase to search for in the text field in the "Find" dialog box that appears on the screen

Step 5. Press the Next button
This way the next instance of the searched word or phrase will be automatically highlighted in the document.
Press the buttons Following or Previous to identify all occurrences of the phrase or word searched for in the document under examination.
Method 2 of 3: Using Google Chrome

Step 1. Open the PDF document to be analyzed using Google Chrome
You can use the browser to access the web page where the PDF file in question is stored or you can select a PDF document on your computer with the right mouse button, choose the "Open with" option from the context menu that appears and click the icon of Google Chrome.
If you're using a Mac that doesn't have a two-button mouse, to replicate the right-click function, hold the Control key on your keyboard while clicking the file icon or use the trackpad with two fingers

Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It's located in the upper right corner of the Chrome window.

Step 3. Choose the Find option
It is listed at the end of the drop-down menu that appeared.

Step 4. Type the word or phrase you wish to search for in the text field that appears
Google Chrome will automatically highlight all occurrences of the searched text present in the document in question.
Inside the vertical scroll bar, located on the right of the Chrome window, small yellow segments will be displayed to visually indicate the position of all the elements identified

Step 5. Use the buttons
And
to scroll the list of all occurrences of the searched text in the document.
Method 3 of 3: Use Preview (Mac)

Step 1. Open the PDF file to be analyzed using the Preview program
You can do this by clicking the blue Preview app icon, which features a series of partially overlapping photographs. At this point, access the "File" menu, located on the menu bar located at the top of the screen, and choose the "Open …" option. Select the PDF file to be examined using the dialog box that appeared, then press the "Open" button.
The Preview program is an image editor natively integrated into Apple's Mac operating system

Step 2. Enter the Edit menu

Step 3. Choose the Find option

Step 4. Select the Find… item

Step 5. Type the word or phrase to search for in the "Search" text field
It is located in the upper right corner of the window.

Step 6. Press the Next button
All occurrences of the searched phrase or word will be highlighted throughout the document.