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Customer Stories 7 m August 10, 2020

How to Merge PDF Files

Octavia Drexler

Octavia Drexler

Content Marketing Manager

Merging PDF files should be a really simple thing, but then you try to do it and it’s somehow really tricky. Well, soon everything will be as it should because we’re here to teach you how(after all, we’re talking about PDF files, not quantum chemistry). 

Merging PDFs is very easy and you can do it in a number of ways, all of which are in this article. 

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How to Merge PDF Files Using Adobe Acrobat 

Using Adobe Acrobat is, perhaps, one of the most secure ways to edit your PDF files. It’s also pretty easy, so there’s nothing to fret over here. All you need to do is:

  1. Open your file in Adobe Acrobat
  2. Go to the toolbar on the right-hand side. If you don’t have it activated, you can do so by activating it from the bottom of the screen (just click on the Hide Right-Hand Panel). 
  3. Click on Combine files. how to merge pdf files using adobe acrobat
  4. Click on Add files. This will allow you to one or more PDF files to your current one. how to merge pdf documents with adobe
  5. If you want to reorder the files, click on the file you want to move and then drag and drop it into its right(ful) place. If you want to delete files or pages, you can do so by following our tutorial here. how to merge pdf documents with adobe acrobat pro
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How to Merge PDF Files Using Foxit 

Foxit is one of the most popular alternatives to Adobe Acrobat. To combine PDF files using Foxit, follow these steps: 

  1. Open Foxit Phantom PDF on your computer. 
  2. Click on Use now under Merge PDF. A pop-up window will appear. 
  3. Click on Add files. You will have multiple options here: 
  • Add files 
  • Add folder
  • Add WebPage
  • Add PDF from scanner 
  • Add from clipboard 
  1. From the pop-up window, select the files you want to merge and click Open. 
  2. If you want to reorder or delete the files, click on it in the list and then click on Move up, Move down, or Delete. 
  3. Click Combine at the bottom of the pop-up window. 
  4. Save your new file as per usual. 

Foxit is free to use for a limited amount of time. Once the trial expires, pricing starts at $139 (one-time price like in the olden days of software). 

How to Merge PDF Files Using Online Tools 

If you don’t want to install Adobe or Foxit on your computer, there are also online tools you can use. Some of these are websites that will do the job for you, others are Google Chrome extensions you can install in your browser and use when needed.

We have listed a few options below. Just click on the name if you want to jump right to the instructions on how that respective tool can be used to merge PDF files. 

Merge PDF Files Using SmallPDF 

To combine multiple PDF files using SmallPDF, follow these steps: 

  1. Go to SmallPDF’s website. 
  2. Click on Merge PDF. 
  3. Click on Choose files and then upload the files you want to merge. If you want to choose multiple files, just hold the CTRL button on your keyboard and click on the files you want to merge. 
  4. You will be redirected to a new step of the process and you will have to choose between: 
    • Merge files (if you want to bring multiple PDF files together). If you choose this option, you will be redirected to a page where you can either add more files to the merge (bottom left-hand side of the screen) or click on Merge PDF! and get your combined file. how to merge pdf files with smallpdf
    • Merge pages (if you want to merge multiple pages from multiple PDF files). If you choose this option, SmallPDF will display all the separate pages of the PDF files you uploaded. If you don’t want all of these to be merged into one file, you can delete them one by one by clicking on the recycle bin button at the top right-hand side of each displayed page. Once done, click Merge PDF! and get your (surprise, surprise) merged file. 

SmallPDF is free to use for a limited number of times. After that, you are required to register on their website for a 14-day trial. Once the trial is over, you can purchase one of their packages (the cheapest being $12/month). 

Merge PDF Files Using ILovePDF 

To combine PDF files using ILovePDF, go through these steps: 

  1. Go to ILovePDF’s site. 
  2. Click on Merge files. 
  3. Select the files you want to merge. 
  4. Click on Merge PDF. 
  5. Download your merged document! 

ILovePDF loves PDFs so much that they will allow you to use their tools for a number of actions for free, provided that you register on their site (and yes, these actions include PDF merging as well). If you want to purchase a subscription, the least expensive one starts at $6/ month. 

Merge PDF Files Using Sejda 

If you want to combine PDF files using Sejda, you should: 

  1. Go to Sejda’s website. 
  2. Hover over All tools and click on Merge.how to merge pdf fiels with sejda
  3. Click on Upload PDF & image files (yes, it will allow you to do this). 
  4. If you want to reorder the files, click on Reorder (which you can do alphabetically, from A to Z, or from Z to A). 
  5. Once done, click on Merge PDF files. 
  6. Download your merged files. 

Ta-da! Easy, right? You can use Sejda for free for a limited number of actions, or purchase one of their packages (they start at $5/ week). 

Merge PDF Files with PDFJoiner 

You can also use PDFJoiner to merge PDF files (or ‘join’ them). To do this, follow these steps: 

  1. Go to PDFJoiner’s website. 
  2. Click on Upload files. 
  3. Once uploaded, drag and drop file blocks if you want to rearrange them. 
  4. Click on Join files. 
  5. Get your merged (joined) PDF file! 

You can use PDF Joiner for free and they will allow you to upload PDF files as well as images to merge. However, keep in mind that you will only be allowed to upload 20 files during one merging (joining) session. 

Merge PDF Files with PDFCandy 

PDFCandy is another popular online tool. To merge files using it, follow these instructions: 

  1. Go to PDFCandy’s website. 
  2. Click on Merge PDF. 
  3. Click on Add files and upload the files you want to merge. 
  4. Once these are uploaded, you can add more by clicking on the Add more files button (left-hand side of the screen). If not, you can just rearrange your files as you wish (by dragging and dropping them), and then click on Merge files. how to merge pdf files with pdfcandy
  5. Download your combined PDF file! 

The great news about PDFCandy is that it’s free to use and you can also download their offline version, just in case you want to merge more PDF files on your flight back home. 

Merge PDF Files with PDF2Go 

PDF2Go is another online free tool you can use to merge PDF files. To do this, follow these steps: 

  1. Go to PDF2Go’s website. 
  2. Click on Merge PDF. 
  3. Click Choose file and upload your files into the tool. 
  4. Move the files around if you want them to appear in a different order in the final PDF. how to merge pdf files with pdf2go
  5. Click on Save as (top right-hand side of the screen). 
  6. Click on Save. Your new file will download automatically. 

PDF2Go is free to use, but it only allows you a limited number of actions. After that, you have to register. 

Merge PDF files with FreePDFConvert

FreePDFConvert is yet another tool you can use to merge PDF files. While they will allow you to convert PDF files in different formats, other, more advanced options are only available if you pay up. The cheapest version is $6 for a month. 

If you decide to sign up and use FreePDFConvert to merge files, follow these steps: 

  1. Go to FreePDFConvert’s website. 
  2. Click on Choose file. 
  3. Upload your files. 
  4. Select Merge PDF from the More drop-down menu. how to merge pdf documents with freepdfconvert
  5. Save your newly merged files. 

Merge PDF Files with Merge PDF Chrome Extension 

If you have to merge PDF files recurrently, you might want to install a Chrome extension. To do this, follow the steps below: 

  1. Go to Chrome’s Extensions webstore. 
  2. Search “Merge PDF” in the search bar. 
  3. Click on Add to Chrome. 
  4. Click on Add extension on the pop-up that will appear on screen. 
  5. To use it, go to your Chrome extensions toolbar and click on Merge PDF. 
  6. Upload your files from your computer or from Google Drive by selecting the relevant option. 
  7. Click on Upload and merge. 
  8. Once done, click on Download to your computer. 

 This tool is free to use and quite accessible if, as mentioned above, you do this recurrently. 

Merging PDF files might not be the most entertaining thing in the world, but if you play your favorite music in the background and roll with one of the easy tools described here, it will all be a whole lot more fun. We promise. We tried and tested these tools for you, so we kind of know what we’re saying here. We didn’t test your music taste, but we trust that you know what you like.

Create Online Forms That Generate PDF Documents

If you want to learn more about how to edit PDF files, you can check out our ultra comprehensive guide on how to edit PDF files every way you imagine. And if you’re just looking for options on how to delete pages from your PDF or how to split a PDF file, you can always check this out. 

Lastly, if you’re looking for a better way to improve your data management, consider using web forms. 

 

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