61 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
61 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: Compare PDFs
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description: Compare two PDF documents side by side or in overlay mode with detailed change detection and categorization.
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---
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# Compare PDFs
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Upload two PDFs and see exactly what changed between them. The tool pairs pages intelligently, detects differences in text, images, annotations, headers, and formatting, and presents them in a side-by-side or overlay view.
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## How It Works
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1. Upload two PDF files -- the original (left) and the revised version (right).
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2. The tool pairs pages between the documents using content signatures.
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3. Select a view mode: **Side by Side** or **Overlay**.
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4. Navigate between page pairs using the pagination controls.
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5. Differences are highlighted and categorized. Use the filter panel to focus on specific change types.
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6. Optionally export the comparison as a PDF report.
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## Features
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- Automatic page pairing based on content similarity
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- Side-by-side and overlay comparison views
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- Change categorization: text, image, header/footer, annotation, formatting, background
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- Per-category filter toggles to show or hide specific change types
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- Text change search with query filtering
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- OCR support for comparing scanned documents
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- Zoom controls for detailed inspection
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- Synchronized scrolling between panels in side-by-side mode
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- Export comparison results as a PDF
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## Options
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| Option | Description |
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| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| **View Mode** | Side by Side or Overlay |
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| **OCR** | Enable/disable OCR for scanned document comparison |
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| **OCR Language** | Language for OCR text extraction |
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| **Category Filters** | Toggle visibility of text, image, header/footer, annotation, formatting, and background changes |
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| **Change Scope** | In overlay mode, filter between all changes or content-only |
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| **Zoom** | Adjust magnification level for detailed inspection |
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## Use Cases
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- Reviewing contract revisions to find exactly what changed between versions
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- Comparing design mockups to verify that PDF exports match expectations
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- Auditing document changes in regulated industries where every edit must be tracked
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- Verifying that a PDF conversion process preserved the original content accurately
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- Checking translation documents against the source for layout changes
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## Tips
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- The overlay view stacks both documents on top of each other, making spatial differences (shifted elements, resized images) immediately visible.
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- Enable OCR when comparing scanned documents that do not have a text layer. The comparison engine will extract text from page images.
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- Use category filters to focus on what matters. For example, hide formatting changes when you only care about text content differences.
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## Related Tools
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- [View Metadata](./view-metadata)
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- [OCR PDF](./ocr-pdf)
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- [Merge PDF](./merge-pdf)
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