How to Search and Delete Text in a PDF Using PDF.co and Make
Remove specific text from a PDF using PDF.co’s Search and Delete Found Text in PDF module in Make. This tutorial uses an invoice number as an example.
Step 1: Prepare Your PDF
Have the following ready:
- A PDF.co account and a Make account.
- A direct URL to your PDF that PDF.co can access.
- The exact text you want to delete, such as
INV-12345.
Use a PDF containing selectable text for this example.
Step 2: Create a Make Scenario
Create a new scenario, add PDF.co, and select Search and Delete Found Text in PDF.
Create a connection to PDF.co, enter your PDF.co API key, and save the connection. See the PDF.co connection guide for details.
Step 3: Configure Text Deletion
In the module:
- Select the URL input option and enter your PDF’s direct URL.
- Enter the exact invoice number in the text search field.
- If using a regular-expression option, leave it disabled for this literal text search.
- Enter an output filename, such as
invoice-updated.pdf, if the filename option is available.
Use the complete invoice number to avoid matching unrelated text.
Step 4: Run and Check the Result
Click Run once. When processing finishes, open the module’s output and follow the resulting PDF URL.
Check that the invoice number has been removed and that the remaining content appears as expected. Download the updated PDF before its temporary URL expires.
You can also extend the scenario with a storage or email module to save or deliver the edited PDF automatically.
In this tutorial, you learned to search and delete text from a PDF using PDF.co and Make.
