PDF Merge
Drag several PDFs into the tool, arrange them in the order you want, and merge into a single file. The tool preserves text layers, bookmarks (optionally rebased under each source document as a new outline level), form fields and embedded fonts so the output is a proper combined PDF rather than a stack of rendered images — searchable, accessible and print-ready.
How to merge PDFs
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1
Add PDFs
Drag and drop as many files as you need; add more at any time before merging.
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2
Arrange order
Drag tiles to reorder. Files are concatenated top-to-bottom.
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3
Optional: reorder pages within files
Open a file's pages and shuffle them before merging.
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4
Pick bookmark handling
Preserve each file's bookmarks, drop them, or nest each source as a top-level bookmark.
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5
Merge and download
The combined PDF is generated; individual sources are unchanged.
Common merge scenarios
- Compiling a tax packet — W-2, 1099, receipts and a cover sheet into one document.
- Building a case file — contracts, invoices, correspondence in chronological order.
- Submitting an application — CV, cover letter, portfolio samples, reference letters.
- Archiving a project — specs, meeting notes, deliverables, final report.
- Combining scanned pages — when a scanner produced one PDF per page, merge into a single document.
What’s preserved
| Feature | Preserved? |
|---|---|
| Text content | Yes |
| Images | Yes |
| Embedded fonts | Yes (deduped when identical) |
| Bookmarks | Optional - nest, flatten or drop |
| Form fields | Yes |
| Hyperlinks | Yes |
| Page size | Per-page — mixed sizes handled |
| Metadata | Combined or preserved from first |
Handling mixed page sizes
If your PDFs mix A4 and US Letter, the merged document keeps each page at its native size — the combined PDF has mixed pages, not unified. For a consistent output, use the PDF page size converter before merging.
Bookmark strategies
- Preserve as-is. Each source’s bookmarks remain, potentially creating duplicates.
- Nest under source name. Each file becomes a top-level bookmark, with its original bookmarks nested below.
- Strip all bookmarks. Clean slate for the merged PDF.
For reading a long merged document, option 2 is usually the best — you get a clean outline that reflects both the merge structure and original document sections.
Tips
- Order matters. Drag thumbnails to reorder; the merge happens top-to-bottom.
- Compress after merging. Merging rarely reduces size; large merges often benefit from post-merge compression.
- Keep originals. Merging is non-destructive, but keep the source PDFs until you’ve verified the merge.
- Check page numbers. If the original PDFs had printed page numbers, the combined document will show multiple restarts. Add new continuous page numbers with the PDF Add Page Numbers tool if needed.
What doesn’t work
- Merging encrypted PDFs. Unlock them first using the PDF Unlock tool or by entering the password.
- Merging across different form fields. Duplicate field names across sources can cause unexpected form behaviour in the merged file.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Content is copied page-for-page without re-rendering. Text stays searchable, fonts embedded, images intact, page dimensions preserved.
Yes. The merged PDF keeps each page at its native size. If consistent sizing matters (for printing), convert pages first using the PDF Page Size Converter, or let the merge happen and accept mixed sizes.
Bookmarks can be preserved, nested under the source document name, or dropped. Form fields are preserved but may have name conflicts if multiple source PDFs use the same field names. Review for conflicts after merging.
Depends on the source files. Merging does not reduce size — expect output to roughly equal the sum of inputs minus some font-deduplication savings. For large merges, run PDF Compress afterwards.