How to Combine PDF Files into One
You need to send several documents as one file: payslips, certificates, invoices or the chapters of a report. Merging PDFs takes under a minute, but a few small details decide whether the result is tidy, a sensible size, and missing no pages.
How to combine PDF files
- Open Merge PDF and choose all the files, from 2 to 20 at a time.
- Set the order: the first file in the list becomes the first pages of the merged file. Move a file up with the "Move up" button next to it.
- Click merge and download the file.
Pages are copied as they are, without recompressing, so each document keeps exactly its original quality.
Before you merge: three quick checks
1. Password-protected files
Payslips, bank statements and many official letters arrive with a password. A locked file can't be merged because its pages can't be read. Unlock it first with Unlock PDF (you need to know the password), then merge. If the final file should be protected, add a password to the merged file with Protect PDF. There is a step-by-step guide in combining password-protected payslips.
2. Photos
If some documents are phone photos (JPG or PNG), turn them into PDFs with JPG to PDF first, then merge them with the rest.
3. Pages you don't need
If you only need some pages of a file, take them out first with Split PDF. A merged file without blank or duplicate pages looks more professional and is smaller.
The merged file is too big
Merging many scans can push a file past an email limit (usually 20–25 MB) or a website upload limit. Run the merged file through Compress PDF. At low or medium compression the difference in readability is hard to see, and scanned files shrink a lot. More tips are in what to do when a PDF is too large.
Common questions
Can I reorder single pages inside the merged file?
The tool orders whole files. To change the order of individual pages, split the file into pages and merge them again in the order you want.
Do you keep my files?
Files are deleted from the server automatically after one hour and are used for nothing except the merge.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Pick the files from your downloads or files app, and the merged file downloads straight to the device.