Can't search PDF's in iBooks and Adobe Reader

[RadekSkylark]

Hello everyone!

A few days ago I made a decision to try out an Apple product - I bought a 2018 iPad with 32gb of memory. The main reason I wanted a tablet is for reading some books as well as having some options for doing multimedia activities when I'm out of my house.

Anyway, the problem I encountered is that after uploading some PDF books to my iPad from my PC I can't search them in either iBooks app, nor Adobe Reader (free version), although they're searchable on my PC.

For example, in iBooks app, I can actually highlight all words in those files, but when I do a search it doesn't do (return) anything. In contrast, when I share those PDF's to Adobe Reader I cannot highlight the words for copying, for example (although when I want to make write a comment or highlight text in yellow it is possible to select exact words and letters).

My question is - what is the problem and what can I do to solve it?

Thanks!

 

[mofunk]

Did you try uploading with iTunes on your PC? I have PDF books where I just drag and drop to the iPad when its connected to iTunes. Open up iTunes.

or

Select File > Add to Library

1. Open up iTunes. Select File > Add to Library….
2. Find the PDF file that you would like to add to iBooks. ...
3. Select "Books" from your iTunes Library. ...
4. Select the "Options" tab. ...
5. Select your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch under the "Devices" section in iTunes.

Have you tried using Pages to mark the PDFs? I have some of my PDFs in the Folder App and in Notes Apps. Both places I can mock up. Not sure if you can search within the Folder App.

 

[mikehalloran]

iBooks is not Adobe Reader. It shows pictures of the pages, that's all. iBooks will crash if your .pdf files are too large, also (been there...).

Far better is the free Kindle Reader app from Amazon. Not only can you upload pdf files easily (there are multiple ways) but they are far more responsive. Page turning is better, too.

Kindle Reader is still not a PDF editor, you can highlight passages in your pdf files. I don't believe you can do a word search in Kindle. Or perhaps you can and I've never been interested enough to try.

 

[RadekSkylark]

Did you try uploading with iTunes on your PC? I have PDF books where I just drag and drop to the iPad when its connected to iTunes. Open up iTunes.

or

Select File > Add to Library

1. Open up iTunes. Select File > Add to Library….
2. Find the PDF file that you would like to add to iBooks. ...
3. Select "Books" from your iTunes Library. ...
4. Select the "Options" tab. ...
5. Select your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch under the "Devices" section in iTunes.

Have you tried using Pages to mark the PDFs? I have some of my PDFs in the Folder App and in Notes Apps. Both places I can mock up. Not sure if you can search within the Folder App.

Yes, I uploaded them through iTunes. I opened up the iTunes, selected my device's folder Books and then just dragged and dropped the files in there.

What do you mean by "...using Pages to mark the PDFs?"

iBooks is not Adobe Reader. It shows pictures of the pages, that's all. iBooks will crash if your .pdf files are too large, also (been there...).

Far better is the free Kindle Reader app from Amazon. Not only can you upload pdf files easily (there are multiple ways) but they are far more responsive. Page turning is better, too.

Kindle Reader is still not a PDF editor, you can highlight passages in your pdf files. I don't believe you can do a word search in Kindle. Or perhaps you can and I've never been interested enough to try.

As I mentioned before I also have tried Adobe Reader.

I'll check out Kindle, but if I can't search for words, than it does not solve the original problem.

 

[mofunk]

I was thinking you were just using a PDFs of lets say manuals or other types and not a Book formatted to PDF. I have some of my PDFs in the Folder Apps. From there I've opened them up in Pages app. For example I have a Manual placed in the Folders App and from there I can mock up there or move it to Pages. Well the last time I tried which was iOS 11

 

[RadekSkylark]

Hello.

Just wanted to update everyone - app called "PDF Max" solved this issue the best - I can search for words in my PDFs in that app, as well as highlight text and more. The best thing is that this all comes free.

Cheers