When the text to be deleted in multiple PDFs follows a consistent pattern but differs in content—such as months, years, dates, serial numbers, or batch numbers—searching and deleting each one individually can be very inefficient. This article explains how to use the PDF find and replace feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to perform fuzzy formula-based text searches for matching similar keywords, and leave the replacement field blank, thereby batch deleting target text from multiple PDFs. This is suitable for data anonymization, report cleanup, and pre-archival processing.
In daily office work, PDF is often used as the final delivery format. Because PDFs are commonly used for archiving, external distribution, and formal release, many people need to clean up file content before publishing: remove cover dates, delete old version numbers, clear certain project names, hide years or batch information. If there is only one PDF, manual processing is acceptable; but if a folder contains dozens or even hundreds of PDFs, opening, finding, deleting, and saving each one individually becomes extremely tedious and repetitive labor.
More troublesome is that much of the content to be deleted is not completely identical fixed text but rather "similar text." For example, a batch of PDF covers may all have dates, but the month could be April or May, and the year could be 2017 or 2020; the numbers might all be four or six digits, but the specific digits in each file are different. This situation is well-suited for using wildcards or formulas for fuzzy matching. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to explain how to batch fuzzy-delete keywords across multiple PDFs, letting office software complete the repetitive find-and-replace work for you.
Applicable Scenarios: Similar Text Needing Unified Deletion Across Multiple PDFs
The methods in this article are suitable for the following types of scenarios. First, when PDF reports or proposal covers have dates, and a new version needs the month, year, or complete date removed. Second, when documents like contracts, notices, or audit reports contain fixed-format numbers that need batch clearing. Third, before archiving historical materials, some project codes, batch numbers, or version numbers need to be removed. Fourth, when sharing materials externally, some sensitive fields that follow a certain format pattern need to be removed.
In the screenshot example, the files to be processed are 4 PDFs, namely 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, and 4.pdf. They are placed in the same batch and will be imported into the software all at once, rather than being processed individually.
Opening the pre-processing PDF shows content like the date "April 13, 2017" on the page. The example aims to delete the month and year, i.e., "April" and "2017" in the red box. If the months and years across these 4 PDFs are not exactly the same, searching for a single fixed term is not flexible enough. This is when using a formula for fuzzy search is necessary.
The focus here is not to "delete content at a specific coordinate," but to "delete keywords based on text rules." That is, as long as the PDF text matches the rules you set, it can be found and deleted. For batch processing files, this is more stable and time-saving than manual page-flipping checks.
Result Preview: Using Empty Replacement to Delete PDF Keywords
In the context of PDF find and replace, deletion can actually be understood as a special type of replacement: replacing the found content with empty content. The setup interface of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool also has a clear prompt stating, "Leaving it blank means deletion." Therefore, we only need to enter the keywords or formula to find on the left, and keep the replacement keyword list on the right empty, to achieve batch deletion.
The processed PDF result is shown below. The position where the month was originally displayed is now blank, the position for the four-digit year is also blank, while "13," which was not matched by the rule, remains. This result demonstrates that the software deleted the specified text according to the rules, rather than crudely clearing the entire line of content.
This processing method is very valuable for office documents. It can reduce the time spent searching repeatedly in a PDF reader, avoid omissions from manual deletion, and facilitate content cleanup while maintaining the overall layout of the PDF. Compared to converting the PDF to Word, docx, or doc first and then editing, performing batch find and replace directly on the PDF is more suitable for tasks that require "changing only a small amount of text without significantly altering the layout."
Operational Steps: Batch Fuzzy-Delete Keywords in Multiple PDFs
Below is a step-by-step explanation based on the software interface screenshots. The software name in the screenshots is HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , a type of batch processing software designed for office scenarios, whose core value lies in importing multiple files at once, setting unified rules for automatic processing, thereby reducing repetitive labor. This article uses the find and replace feature within its PDF tools.
Step 1: Access the Find and Replace Feature in PDF Tools
After launching the software, select "PDF Tools" from the left navigation bar. The right-side function list displays various PDF processing entries, such as PDF add password protection, PDF add watermark, PDF to Word, PDF to TXT, etc. This time we need to process keywords in PDF content, so select "Find and Replace Keywords in PDF."
The expected result of this step is to enter the dedicated PDF keyword processing wizard. Choosing the correct function is important because we are not merging PDF folders nor deleting pages, but rather performing find, replace, or delete on the text body of the PDFs. After entering, the processing flow will be displayed at the top of the page, making it easy to complete the task step by step.
Step 2: Import PDF Files for Batch Processing
After entering the "Find and Replace Keywords in PDF" page, the first step is to select the records to process. The top-right corner of the interface has buttons like "Add Files," "Import Files from Folder," "Clear," and "More." If the number of files is small, you can use "Add Files" for manual selection; if all PDFs are located in the same folder, using "Import Files from Folder" is more efficient.
The screenshot shows that 4 records have been imported, with names 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, and 4.pdf, located in the test folder on drive D. The list also displays the extension pdf, creation time, and modification time. It is recommended to carefully check before proceeding: whether the file count is correct, whether any PDFs that shouldn't be processed are included, and whether the path is the current target folder. Once confirmed, click "Next" at the bottom.
For batch tasks, the import step seems simple but is a crucial step to avoid mishandling. Especially when original drafts, backup drafts, and test drafts coexist in the same folder, it is advisable to organize the files to be processed first before importing them into the software. This reduces subsequent result confusion.
Step 3: Enable Formula for Fuzzy Text Search
After entering the processing options settings, first look at "Search Method." The interface offers "Exact Text Search" and "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search." For fixed words, use exact search; for similar text, variable dates, or different numbers, select "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search." The screenshot shows this option has been selected.
After selecting this method, you can enter rules into the "Keywords to Find" list. The example shows two lines: the first line "April|May," meaning find April or May; the second line "\d{4}", meaning find four-digit numbers. For date cleaning, this matches the month words and the year. You can also adjust the rules based on your own PDF content, such as keeping only "\d{4}" if only deleting the year, or writing corresponding words in the first line if deleting only certain fixed English months.
It is crucial to note that while the formula's fuzzy search capability is more powerful, it also means rules must be written more cautiously. If the rules you write have a scope that is too broad, they might match text you do not intend to delete. For example, four-digit numbers may not only be years but also part of a number sequence. Therefore, before formal processing, it is recommended to test with a few PDFs first and open the processed files to check if only the targeted content has been deleted.
Step 4: Leave Replacement Content Empty to Achieve Batch Deletion
In the "Replacement Keywords" list on the right, if you fill in new text, the software replaces the text matched on the left with the content on the right; if you leave it blank, it means deletion. In the screenshot, the right-side area is empty, and the interface prompts "Leaving it blank means deletion." Therefore, to batch delete similar keywords in PDFs, do not enter replacement text on the right.
Using the example, the left side searches for "April|May" and "\d{4}", while the right side is blank. During processing, April, May, and the four-digit year in the PDFs will be replaced with empty space. The final result is the month and year disappearing from the PDF page, while other unmatched content remains unchanged.
After completing the settings, click "Next." The top flow shows the next steps are "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing." For safety, it is recommended to save the processed PDFs to a new folder rather than directly overwriting the original PDFs. This way, even if the rules are not ideal, you can always re-process using the original files.
Step 5: Check the Output PDFs After Processing is Complete
Once processing starts, the software processes the multiple PDFs sequentially according to the record list. After completion, open the output location and examine the processed PDFs. When checking, focus on the positions that originally contained keywords, such as the cover date, report numbers, headers and footers, or specified fields in the text. In the example, the month and year positions have been deleted, indicating the rules took effect.
If some PDFs were not successfully processed, it might be that the text format in the file did not match the rules, or the PDF itself is not searchable text. If the deletion scope is too wide, the rules need to be narrowed. The correct approach for batch processing is not to blindly process all files at once, but to "verify with a small batch first, then execute for the full volume." This significantly reduces the risk of accidental deletion.
Understanding Common Rules: Batch Deletion with Wildcards Does Not Equal Arbitrary Matching
When many users search for "PDF wildcard delete keywords," they hope to find a method that can automatically identify all similar content. However, in practical office work, rules still need to be written based on the text structure. The role of wildcards or formulas is to express patterned content, not to let the software guess your intentions. For instance, "\d{4}" is suitable for matching four-digit numbers, commonly used for years; "April|May" is suitable for matching two specified English months. If June or July might also appear in the PDF, the rule needs to be expanded to cover that content.
For Chinese documents, a similar approach can be used. For example, use exact search for deleting fixed project names, use formula-based fuzzy search for deleting fixed-format numbers, and use grouping or multi-line rules for deleting multiple candidate words. The specific syntax should depend on the software interface support and the actual text. This article's example only demonstrates the "April|May" and "\d{4}" rules shown in the screenshots, and it is not recommended to apply overly broad expressions without understanding their meaning.
Important Considerations: What to Do Before Batch Processing PDFs
Back Up Original Files or Output to a New Directory
Batch keyword deletion is a content modification operation. It is recommended to keep the original PDFs. When setting the save location, you can choose a new output folder. This keeps the processing results separate from the original files, making it easier to compare and re-execute if the rules need adjustment.
Test with a Small Number of PDFs First
Even if the PDFs in the same batch appear identically formatted, individual files may have different layouts, text layers, or content. It is safer to first select 1 or 2 representative files for testing, confirm the results meet expectations, and then import the entire folder in batch.
Confirm PDF Text is Searchable
If a PDF is a scanned image, the text might be visible on the page but cannot be selected, copied, or searched. In such cases, the find and replace function may not be able to match it directly. The PDF content in this article's example could be found by the rules, thus allowing deletion. When encountering scanned documents, you need to first determine if the file has a recognizable text layer.
Write Fuzzy Rules Carefully
The broader the fuzzy rule, the larger the matching scope. Using "\d{4}" to delete years is relatively specific, but if the document also contains four-digit serial numbers, they might also be matched. Before processing formal files, check in context whether the rule might accidentally affect other content.
Summary: Leave Repetitive PDF Keyword Cleanup to Batch Processing Software
The main concern when deleting similar text across multiple PDFs is not operational complexity, but the repetition, time consumption, and proneness to omission. The "Find and Replace Keywords in PDF" feature provided by HeSoft Doc Batch Tool can match variable content like dates, years, months, and numbers through "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search," and achieve deletion by leaving the replacement list empty. For users who frequently organize reports, contracts, archived materials, and publicly released PDFs, this is a very practical office automation method.
If you currently have a batch of PDFs needing keyword deletion, you can follow this article's flow: first enter PDF Tools and select the find and replace feature; then import multiple PDFs; next enable formula-based fuzzy search and fill in the keyword rules to match; finally, keep the replacement content empty and output to a new folder. After completion, check the results, and upon confirmation, proceed with large-batch processing. This ensures accuracy while drastically reducing the time spent manually opening and modifying PDFs one by one.