---
title: "How is document text searched?"
date: "2025-01-09T20:23:13+00:00"
summary:
image:
type: "page"
url: "/acquia-dam/how-document-text-searched"
id: "df973eff-adea-41dc-8de4-103f4fa759b0"
---

When the Document Text Search feature is enabled, text in documents can be searched when keywords are entered in the quick search and the Search Document Text option is checked in the [refine search](/acquia-dam/how-do-i-refine-searches "How do I refine searches?"). The Search Document Text option will be automatically checked when you search for assets. Uncheck that option if you don't want to search documents.

![Select Search Document Text in the Refine Search panel to search text of documents.](https://acquia.widen.net/content/c8qiqsvuep/web/ka0Pb0000006yJF00N6g00000WDN1a0EM6g000005LvkI.png?v=eef511c7-ed62-487b-9241-786e0e65fa31)

Microsoft Office documents (including text on PowerPoint slides), PDF, Apple Keynote, and RTF files are searched when the feature is enabled. Adobe Illustrator is also searched when text in the file hasn’t been converted to outlines.   
  
If you are an Acquia DAM admin, enable or disable the feature on the [Features page](What-are-the-available-features-and-their-permissions). Note that when the feature is disabled, the [Search Within](/acquia-dam/whats-search-within "What's Search Within?") option is available.

Search document text via the advanced search
--------------------------------------------

Document text can also be searched using the [advanced search](How-do-I-perform-an-advanced-search). To search document text using the advanced search:

1.  Click the **More** dropdown.
2.  Click **Advanced search**.
3.  Select **Document Text** in the asset advanced search options.
4.  Enter a search term.
5.  Click **Search**.

![Use the advanced search to find assets with certain document text.](https://acquia.widen.net/content/pxi86mihyn/web/ka0Pb0000006yJF00N6g00000WDN1a0EM6g000005LvkH.png?v=fbe4369e-7ed5-4d9b-94a8-cd3d465f62d1)

### How phrase search works with Search document text

After you enclose terms in quotation marks, you use a phrase search such as `training young.` After Search document text is active and you select the checkbox, your search:

1.  Runs against the same core fields that are always searched, such as filenames and key metadata.
    
2.  Also includes the asset’s document text for supported document types.
    

Because document text is subject to different algorithms than other fields, phrase search with Search document text selected does not always behave as a strict `exact phrase only` search when the match comes from document text. In practice, this can mean:

*   The search engine can match on the root of a word in document text.
    
*   A search for it `training young` can also return document text that contains `train young` or `trained young`.
    
*   In some cases, the document text analyzer can also match on a `root` in an alphanumeric string.
    
*   A search like this `LRYKC2606E` can match content text to match `LRYKC2606` in document text.
    
*   A quoted phrase can match in other fields such as filename or metadata even if the exact phrase is not present in the document text itself.
    

This behavior is expected given how document text is subject to analysis. However, it can sometimes make a quoted phrase search open “inexact” compared to a phrase match in other fields.

### Tips to understand results after Search document text is selected

Verify which field matched Open the asset and verify whether the phrase opens in the filename, key metadata fields, or the document text itself. A “phrase” result can come from any searched field.

Compare results with and without Search document text. Run the same quoted search with the checkbox selected and then unselected. If results only open after you select it, the match comes from document text (to include root-word or root-token matches).

Consider other supplemental search features. Features like substring search (after active) can also broaden match behavior. If you observe broader-than-expected matches, ensure that substring search is active for your site.

Together, this means phrase search is typically exact for core fields but can behave more flexibly to include document text and other supplemental search features.