How to Merge PDF Files

Merging PDF files allows for easy storage, management, and sharing of multiple PDFs as a single file, saving space and reducing the need to open or send multiple files repeatedly.

In this guide, we will cover several methods to easily merge your PDF files. whether it’s through built-in applications, desktop software, or online tools. So, let’s get started!

How to Merge PDF Files on Windows 10

Unlike the Mac Preview program which allows you to merge PDFs quickly and easily, there’s no built-in feature in Windows to merge PDF files. On Windows, you need to use third-party apps or paid commercial applications to merge and manage PDF files.

PDFgear is a free PDF software that allows you to merge two or more PDF files into one for easier management and organization of PDFs. It is completely free to use, with no limitations, making it an ideal solution for both personal and professional use. If you’re looking for a reliable and cost-effective solution for merging PDF files, PDFgear is a perfect choice.

Step 1. Download and Install PDFgear

Go to the official PDFgear website, download and install PDFgear desktop software on your Windows device.

Open PDFgear, go to the “Merge and Spilit” tab and select the “Merge PDF” option.

Step 2. Upload PDF Files

In the pop-up windows, click the “Add Files” button and choose the files you want to include in your PDF.

Rearrange the order of PDF files as needed.

Step 3. Merge Multiple PDF Files

Give the output merged file a new naming and storage location so that it can be easily found and utilized in the future.

When you’re done, click the “Merge” button to Combine your PDF documents.

Note： PDFgear desktop software is compatible with Windows and Mac, the above steps are also applicable to merge multiple PDF files on Mac

How to Merge PDF Files in Preview on Mac

As the default image and document viewer on Mac devices, the Preview app for Mac has the ability to merge PDF files. Preview allows merging any file it can display, including PNG, TIFF, JPEG, and other standard image formats, into an existing PDF.

The steps to merge PDF files on the Preview application on Mac are very simple, all you need to do is just follow the steps below.

Step 1. Open the first PDF file and ensure Preview is selected as the default option. If not, right-click the file and select Open with, then choose Preview.

Step 2. In the top toolbar, select View then Thumbnails to view page thumbnails in the sidebar.

Step 3. Select a thumbnail page, then select Edit, Insert, and Page from File. Choose the second PDF file in the pop-up window and select Open.

Step 4. In the compiled PDF, go to the top toolbar and choose File, then Export as PDF.

How to Merge PDF Files Online

PDFgear offers an online PDF merging tool that boasts a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features to enhance your merging experience. This platform provides you with the ability to merge multiple PDF files into a single document with ease.

Unlike other online tools, PDFgear does not impose limitations on the number or size of PDF files you can upload and merge per day. Say goodbye to the hassle of downloading multiple software and enjoy a seamless PDF merging experience with PDFgear.

Step 1. Upload PDF Files

Access to PDFgear online PDF merger with any browser.

Once you are on the website, you will have the option to either click the “Select PDF files” button to upload your desired documents. Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop your PDF files into the tool.

Step 2. Merge PDF Files Now

Once you have arranged your files in the desired order by dragging and dropping, simply click the “Merge PDF” button and let the tool do its magic.

Step 3. Save the Merged PDF File

The PDF files will be merged in the order they were arranged, and once the process is complete, a blue “Download” button will appear.

Simply click the button to download your newly merged PDF documents.

How to Merge PDF Files: FAQs

Is there a free tool to merge PDF files?

Yes, there are some free tools to merge PDF files, such as smallpdf, PDFgear, ilovepdf. You need to be aware that some of these free tools will have some limitations on file size, and the number of merges, and there will be ads popping up in the process of merging your files.

How do I merge PDF files on a Mac?

To merge PDF files on Mac computers, you can use the built-in Preview application or download third-party applications like PDFgear.

Can I merge scanned PDF files into one document?

If you have scanned PDF files, you can use the OCR function to convert the images to text PDF, and then merge the scanned PDF files into a whole file.

How do I merge only certain pages of PDF files?

To merge only certain pages of a PDF file, PDFgear’s Extract PDF Pages feature can help you accomplish that task. Open a PDF document with PDFgear, select the Page tab > click to select specific pages to be included in the final merged document, then click Extract Pages > PDFgear will generate a new PDF file for you that contains only certain pages.

How do I add page numbers to a merged PDF file?

To add page numbers to the merged PDF file, you can use PDFgear desktop software which provides this feature. Open the merged PDF file in PDFgear > go to the Insert tab and select Page Number > Add Page Number to the PDF file.

The Recap

Three methods of merging PDF files are mentioned in this article: built-in tools, third-party software, and online tools. Merging PDF files is actually quite simple, try it with the above-mentioned methods and you will know.

It can greatly improve your work efficiency. Whether you want to merge multiple files into one or add new content to a file, merging PDF files is a very useful skill.