Merge PDF Files

One document instead of many attachments

Paperwork arrives in pieces: a signed contract, an ID scan, three receipts and a cover letter. Sending them as separate attachments makes them easy to lose and hard for the recipient to read in order. Merging turns the set into one file that opens once and reads top to bottom.

This merger copies every page of every file you add, in the order shown on screen, into a new document. Pages keep their original size and orientation, so a landscape spreadsheet export stays landscape next to portrait letters, and text stays selectable throughout.

How to merge PDF files

1. 1

   Step 1: Add your PDFs

   Drop up to 20 files, each up to 200 MB. Add them in any order.

2. 2

   Step 2: Put them in order

   Drag the files in the list until the sequence is right, and remove any you added by mistake.

3. 3

   Step 3: Merge

   Every page of every file is copied into one new document.

4. 4

   Step 4: Download

   Save the merged PDF.

What the merger does

Common reasons to merge

• Applications and claims. Combine forms, identity documents and proof of address into one upload.

• Invoices and expenses. Send a month of receipts as a single file.

• Reports and appendices. Attach supporting documents to the end of a main report.

• Scanned batches. Join pages that your scanner saved as separate files.

Getting the order right the first time

The merged document follows the list on screen from top to bottom, not the order in which files were added or their names. Check the list before merging, especially when a scanner has produced names like scan_1, scan_10 and scan_2, which sort in an order that surprises most people.

If a single file needs to be split around another document, split it first with the PDF splitter, then merge the pieces in the order you want.

• Cover letter first, appendices last.
• Check any file whose name contains numbers without leading zeros.
• Merge a test run of two files if you are unsure how a scan is ordered.

What carries over and what does not

Page content, images, links and page-level annotations are copied. Document-level structures are not: bookmarks from the original files do not appear in the merged document, and interactive form fields can stop behaving as fields once several documents are combined.

If the documents contain forms you need filled, fill and flatten them before merging, or sign them first with the PDF signing tool. Password-protected files must be unlocked before they can be merged.

Tips for merging

• Name the files in the order you want before adding them so the list is easy to check.
• Merge first, then compress the result if the combined file is large.
• Use the page extractor to drop blank scanner pages before merging.
• Keep the source files until you have checked the merged document.

Merge PDF FAQ