PDF guides5 min read
How to merge PDF files online
Put several PDFs together into one file, in the order you want, without installing anything.
Merging is about as safe as PDF editing gets. Nothing on your pages is converted or compressed again. The tool takes the pages from each file and puts them into one new file, so text, images and drawings look the same as they did before.
What usually goes wrong is the order. Put the right pages in the wrong sequence and it's the first thing anyone notices.
Two other things are good to know before you start. Every page keeps its own size, so a landscape spreadsheet stays landscape inside a portrait report instead of being squashed. And some things that belong to the whole file, like bookmarks, form fields and attachments, may not come through. The pages will look fine, but check for those if you need them.
When you might need this
- You'd rather send one file than six attachments.
- A job application or claim form wants everything in one upload.
- You need the pages in a set order before you print.
- You want a signed cover letter with the supporting papers behind it.
- You're filing away a finished project and want one file, not a folder of pieces.
How to do it
- Open Merge PDF.
- Add all the files you want to combine. You can select several at once or drag them in together.
- Use the up and down arrows to put them in order.
- Read the list one more time. The order you see is the order you'll get.
- Click merge and download the new file.
- Open it and scroll to each spot where one document ends and the next begins. Make sure nothing is missing or doubled.
Free, with no account. Open it in a new tab and follow along.
Open Merge PDFTips
- Rename your files with numbers first, like 01-cover and 02-report. Then putting them in order takes a few seconds.
- If a file has pages you don't need, take them out with Split PDF before you merge.
- Page sizes are kept as they are, so mixing A4, Letter and landscape pages is fine on screen. If you plan to print, use Resize PDF afterwards to put every page on the same paper.
- A file with a password can't be merged until you remove the password.
- Merging doesn't make anything smaller. Ten 3 MB files give you roughly a 30 MB PDF, so if it's too big to email, run it through Compress PDF afterwards.
- Open the merged file before you send it. It takes a minute and can save you an awkward follow-up email.
Tools that help next
- Resize PDF. If the merged file mixes A4, Letter and slide pages, put every page on one paper size so it prints evenly.
- Compress PDF. Make the merged file small enough to email.
Common mistakes
- Merging first and checking the order later. Fixing it afterwards means splitting the file apart again.
- Forgetting that one of your files already has the cover page in it, so the final PDF has two.
- Joining a clean digital file with a gray, crooked scan. It works, but the result looks patched together. Cleaning the scan first helps.
- Merging dozens of big scanned files in one go on an older phone or laptop. Smaller batches are kinder to your device.
How this compares to Smallpdf, iLovePDF and Adobe
Every PDF website can merge files, so this is where you really notice how each one makes its money. Smallpdf and iLovePDF let you merge a few times for free before the upgrade prompt appears, and your files are sent to their servers to be processed.
Adobe's online merge works well, but you'll need an Adobe ID, and the free version is there mainly to sell you Acrobat.
Here, the merge happens in your browser using your own device's memory. There's no upload, no counter, and no limit on how many files you add. If you're combining confidential papers, no copy of them ends up anywhere else.
| Criterion | Smallpdf | iLovePDF | Adobe Acrobat online | Easy File Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where your file is processed | On their servers, after you upload it | On their servers, after you upload it | In Adobe's cloud, after you upload it | In your browser, on your own device |
| Account or sign-in | Asked for early, and needed once you pass the free allowance | Optional for small jobs, needed for bigger ones | Most online tools need an Adobe ID | Never needed |
| Usage limits | A few free tasks, then an upgrade prompt | Daily task and file limits on the free plan | The free web tools are mostly a preview of the paid plan | No task counters and no daily limits |
| File size ceiling | The free plan limits upload size | The free plan limits upload size | Cloud upload limits apply | We don't set one. Your device's memory is the practical limit |
| Works without a connection | No, their server does the work | No, their server does the work | No, the cloud does the work | Yes for the browser tools, once the page has loaded |
| Cost | Paid subscription for full access | Paid subscription for full access | Paid Acrobat subscription for full access | Free. Every tool is open to everyone |
Other services change their plans and limits often, so treat this as a rough picture and not a price list. Check their websites for the current details.
Frequently asked questions
- Does merging lower the quality?
- No. The pages are joined as they are, without being compressed again, so text and images look the same.
- Can I change the order?
- Yes. Use the arrow buttons next to each file before you merge.
- How many files can I merge at once?
- We don't set a limit. Your device's memory is the real limit, so very large batches work better in a few smaller groups.
- Can I merge a PDF that has a password?
- Not while the password is on. Remove it first, then add the file to the list.
- Do bookmarks and links come through?
- The pages themselves come through as they were. Things that belong to the whole file, like bookmarks and form fields, may not, so check the result if you rely on them.