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Chat with PDF (Search & Ask)

Ask questions about a PDF and get the exact passages that answer them, with page numbers and highlights — plus fast keyword search. Runs on your device.

About Chat with PDF (Search & Ask)

This tool lets you ask questions about a PDF in plain English, such as how many casual leaves you get under an HR policy, and shows the passages that answer them word for word, with page numbers and your words highlighted. Because it finds answers in the document rather than writing them, nothing is made up.

A Keyword search tab lists every place a word or phrase appears. In desktop Chrome with the built-in on-device AI, you can also get a short written answer based only on the top passages. It is useful for policies, contracts, manuals and study material. It is free, needs no sign-up, and your PDF stays on your device.

How to use Chat with PDF (Search & Ask)

  1. Drop a PDF with real text (or try the sample handbook).
  2. Type a question such as “How many casual leaves do I get?” and press Ask.
  3. Read the best-matching passages, with the page number and your words highlighted.
  4. Use the Keyword search tab to list every place a word or phrase appears.

Frequently asked questions

Are my files uploaded?

No. Your PDF is opened and processed inside your browser and never leaves your device. Only the free libraries, fonts and language files are downloaded from public CDNs (once, then cached).

Does it generate answers like ChatGPT?

No — by default it finds answers rather than writing them. It ranks every passage with the BM25 search algorithm and shows the best matches word for word, so nothing is made up. Always read the passage to confirm.

What is the “on-device AI answer” option?

In desktop Chrome with the built-in Prompt API (Gemini Nano), you can also get a short written answer generated only from the top passages, on your device. It can still make mistakes, so the source passages are always shown.

It cannot find anything in my PDF

Scanned PDFs have no text. Make it searchable with OCR PDF first. Also try different words — the search matches words, not meanings.

How do I chat with a PDF for free?

Drop the PDF, type your question and press Ask. Read the matching passages and their page numbers to find your answer.

Can I ask questions about a scanned PDF?

Only after it has a text layer. Run the scan through OCR PDF first, then open the searchable copy here.

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