How to search for text inside a published Flipsnack flipbook
Find a word as a reader and jump straight to the matching page
Every published Flipsnack flipbook has a search bar in the player. Readers type a word or phrase, and Flipsnack finds it across the whole publication and highlights each match directly on the page, so they can jump to the right spot instead of paging through. Search works on the flipbook's real text, which means a PDF exported with vector text is searchable and a scanned or flattened image is not.
How to search a flipbook as a reader
- Open the flipbook link in a browser.
- Select the Search icon in the player's menu bar.
- Type the word or phrase you are looking for.
- Select a result to jump to the page that contains it.
The flipbook creator controls which player options readers get. If the search icon is missing, search has been switched off for that publication in the Customize page.
How results are highlighted
Matches are highlighted directly in the flipbook rather than only listed, so readers can see exactly where a term appears on the page. This makes longer catalogs and manuals far quicker to navigate.
Why a flipbook might not be searchable
- The PDF contains images of text, not text. Scanned pages and flattened exports have no text layer to search.
- Search is turned off. The creator can hide the search control in the flipbook's menu controls.
- The text was outlined on export. Converting fonts to outlines removes the text layer.
Next steps
- What readers see when viewing a flipbook link
- How do I change my flipbook's menu controls?
- PDF settings for the best results in vector text conversion in Flipsnack
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