Troubleshooting

PDF Text Search Has No Results

Search only works on text that exists in the PDF text layer or markup data. Scanned drawings often look like text to a person but are stored as images.

Updated 2026-07-03 · 4 min read

Search troubleshooting
Drawing A-101.pdf
100%FitExport

Image-only PDFs may require visual review or visual search instead of text search.

Check search settings

  1. 1

    Confirm the query

    Try a short exact word or label from the sheet.

  2. 2

    Turn off strict options

    Disable case-sensitive and whole-word settings while troubleshooting.

  3. 3

    Search markups too

    Enable markup search if you are looking for comments or labels you added.

Handle scanned drawings

If the PDF has no text layer, text search cannot find sheet notes. Switch to the Visual Search tab and search from a captured region instead, or use an OCR-prepared drawing file.

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