Does ATS Scan Your Cover Letter? What to Know Before You Write One

The cover letter question divides hiring advice in two. One camp says cover letters are dead — most ATS systems ignore them, and recruiters skip them anyway. The other says they're still worth writing. Neither is completely accurate.

Here's what actually happens to your cover letter after you upload it.

Do ATS Systems Scan Cover Letters?

Most modern ATS platforms can scan cover letters and extract keywords from them. Whether they do, and how much that matters for your overall match score, depends on how the specific employer has configured their system.

In most implementations, the resume is the primary scoring document. It's the file that gets parsed, structured, and matched against job requirements. The cover letter, when processed, typically contributes to keyword matching in a supplementary way — not as a replacement for a well-optimised resume.

What this means in practice: a cover letter full of relevant keywords won't save a resume that's missing them. But a cover letter that reinforces the keywords in your resume — naturally, not as keyword stuffing — can strengthen your overall application match score.

How ATS Processes a Cover Letter

When you upload a cover letter alongside your resume, the ATS parser extracts the text and runs it through the same keyword-matching logic it applies to your resume. There's no "cover letter scoring mode" in most systems — it's the same extraction and matching pipeline.

The key word is "can." Not every job application portal accepts a separate cover letter upload. Some ask for a cover letter paste into a text field. Some don't accept a cover letter at all. In roles where no cover letter is requested, there is no cover letter pass.

When a cover letter is accepted: write it assuming it will be scanned. The keywords that matter on your resume also matter here. The formatting requirements are simpler — a cover letter is a letter, not a structured document, so parsing errors are less common. But the text should still be clean, single-column, and avoid design flourishes that might cause extraction errors.

Keywords to Include in Your Cover Letter

The keywords that belong in your cover letter are the same ones that belong in your resume: the terms pulled directly from the job description.

The difference is how you use them. A resume bullet point can say: "Led cross-functional Agile teams to ship three product features, reducing churn by 18%." A cover letter sentence says: "In my current role, I've led cross-functional Agile teams to ship features that reduced customer churn — which is directly why this role caught my attention."

The keyword is the same. The cover letter gives you space to explain the context, the reason you're applying, and why your specific background is relevant. The ATS extracts the keyword. The recruiter — if they read it — gets the context.

Focus on the keywords that appear in the first paragraph of the job description. ATS systems and recruiters both weight the opening requirements most heavily. Addressing those terms in your cover letter's first paragraph serves both audiences.

For the keyword identification process itself, see how to find the right keywords for your resume — the same process applies to cover letter keyword strategy.

Cover Letter Formatting for ATS

Cover letter formatting errors are less catastrophic than resume formatting errors — a cover letter doesn't have the same structured field extraction (work history, skills, dates) that a resume does. But there are still format choices that affect how reliably the ATS can extract your text.

Single column, plain text. A cover letter is a letter. There's no reason to use two-column layouts, tables, or text boxes. Single-column prose extracts cleanly.

No header/footer tricks. If you're creating your cover letter in Word, don't put your contact details in a document header. Keep everything in the main body.

File format. The same DOCX vs PDF logic that applies to resumes applies here. If the portal accepts a file upload for the cover letter: a text-based PDF or DOCX both parse fine for a simple single-column letter. For more on format choices, see DOCX vs PDF for ATS.

Length. A cover letter that runs to three or four paragraphs is the right length for an ATS-processed application. Long letters don't improve your keyword count meaningfully, and they're less likely to be read by the recruiter who eventually does open your application.

When the Cover Letter Is Actually Read

The ATS is the first pass. The recruiter is the second. If your cover letter makes it through the ATS filter, it then has to be worth reading.

A cover letter that restates your resume line by line isn't worth reading. One that addresses a specific reason you want this role at this company, connects your relevant experience to the job's stated requirements, and does it in three focused paragraphs — that's worth a recruiter's two minutes.

The cover letter is also where you can address things your resume can't: a career change, a gap in employment, a move between sectors. These are context a recruiter wants; they're just not things you can explain in a bullet point.

Should You Always Write One?

Only when it's asked for, or when you have a specific reason to write one.

If a posting says "cover letter optional" — write it if you have something substantive to say about why you want that specific role. Skip it if you'd be writing a generic letter. A generic cover letter adds nothing for the recruiter who reads it, and ATS keyword contribution is marginal.

If a posting says "cover letter required" — write it, and optimise it for both audiences: keywords from the JD for the ATS, specific reasons and context for the recruiter.

If no cover letter is mentioned — check the portal. If there's no upload field, there's no cover letter stage.

The Short Version

Yes, ATS systems scan cover letters. No, a great cover letter doesn't compensate for a weak resume — the resume is still the primary scoring document. Write your cover letter assuming it will be processed by software first and read by a human second: single-column, keyword-rich, specific.

The resume comes first. Get it right, then write the cover letter. For the resume side, see how to find the right keywords for your resume and the ATS-friendly resume format guide.

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PassATS optimises your resume for ATS keyword matching — the foundation your cover letter builds on. Paste your resume and the job description to see your keyword score and get a rewrite that covers what's missing.