How to Merge PDF Files Into One

Mac (Preview, built-in)

1. Open the first PDF in Preview.
2. View > Thumbnails to show the sidebar.
3. Drag other PDFs from Finder onto the thumbnail sidebar, where you want them to go.
4. Reorder pages by dragging thumbnails.
5. File > Export as PDF to save the combined file.

Faster: select PDFs in Finder > right-click > Quick Actions > Create PDF.

iPhone and iPad (Files app)

1. Open Files and go to your PDFs.
2. Tap … > Select and choose the files, in order.
3. Tap … (More) > Create PDF.

Windows

Windows has no built-in merge tool. Free options:

• Online merge tools: drag in your files, reorder, then download.
• PDFsam Basic (free, open source, offline): Merge module > add files > Run.
• Adobe Acrobat (paid): Tools > Combine Files.

Android

Use an online merge tool in Chrome, or a PDF app from the Play Store with a merge feature.

Tips

• Name files 01, 02, 03… so they sort correctly.
• If files are different page sizes (A4 and Letter), that’s fine. Each page keeps its size.
• Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked before merging.