How to Easily Merge PDF Files with Free Tools

As someone who frequently handles PDF documents, I often need to combine multiple PDF files into one single file Whether it’s compiling a report from various sources or appending documents together for a client, merging PDFs can be a common task

In the past, I used to use paid software like Adobe Acrobat which could get expensive. But over time, I’ve found some excellent free online tools that make merging PDFs a breeze. In this post, I’ll share how to merge PDF files easily using free online tools.

Why Merge PDF Files?

Here are some common reasons you may need to merge multiple PDFs

• Compile reports or presentations – Pulling content from different documents or contributors into one cohesive PDF report.

• Append files – Adding pages to an existing PDF by merging it with supplements or attachments.

• Combine scanned documents – Merging scanned pages into a single digitized document.

• Consolidate statements – Bringing monthly bank statements together into one PDF

• Simplify email attachments – Rather than attaching multiple PDFs to an email, you can send one merged file.

• Organize paperwork – Merge related paperwork together so it’s stored as one file.

• Create master file – Combine various chapters or sections into a master document.

Merging PDF files can make managing and sharing documents much more efficient. The key is having the right tools to combine the PDFs easily.

Free Online PDF Merger Tools

You don’t need expensive software to merge PDFs anymore. Here are excellent free online PDF merger tools:

Smallpdf

Smallpdf is a popular free online tool with a PDF merger and many other PDF tools.

To use it:

• Go to https://smallpdf.com/merge-pdf
• Upload the PDF files you want to combine. You can also drag and drop files onto the page.
• Re-order the files if needed by dragging them.
• Click the Merge PDF button.
• Download the merged PDF file or share it via a link.

I like Smallpdf because it’s fast, intuitive, and works right in the browser. No software installation needed. They also have handy options like compressing PDFs, converting PDF to Word documents, splitting PDFs, and more.

Adobe Acrobat Online

Adobe invented the PDF format, so naturally their tools work great. Their free online PDF merger is located at:

https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/merge-pdf.html

To use it:

• Click Select a file and choose your PDFs to merge.
• Drag and drop to reorder them if needed.
• Click the Merge files button.
• Download or share the merged file by signing into a free Adobe account.

Adobe lets you combine up to 100 files into one merged PDF up to 10GB in size. The merged file downloads to your computer. Signing in also allows you to access the file online from any device.

ILovePDF

ILovePDF is another handy suite of PDF tools accessible online for free. Their PDF merger tool allows merging up to 20 files at a time.

Just go to https://www.ilovepdf.com/merge_pdf, add your PDFs, drag to reorder, and download the merged file. It’s fast and simple.

ILovePDF also has great options for compressing, splitting, rotating, unlocking and protecting PDF files.

PDF Candy

PDFCandy has a straight-forward PDF merger that merges up to 20 files for free. It works right in your web browser.

Go to https://pdfcandy.com/merge-pdf.html, add PDFs, rearrange, and download. No registration needed.

They also provide extra options like security and optimization tools. For merging more than 20 files at once, you’d need to purchase a subscription.

How to Use an Online PDF Merger

Most online PDF mergers follow a similar straightforward process:

1. Go to the tool’s website – Access the online PDF merger tool through your web browser. No installation or registration needed for basic functions.

2. Add PDFs to merge – Click upload button to select files from your computer. You can also drag and drop files directly onto the website. Most tools allow bulk adding docs.

3. Re-order (optional) – Use drag and drop to arrange the PDFs in the order you want them combined.

4. Merge – Click the merge button to combine all added PDFs into one.

5. Download or share – The final merged PDF file can be downloaded to your computer or shared via link. Signing in may allow online access.

It’s super quick and easy to combine PDFs with these online tools!

Tips for Merging PDF Files

Here are some top tips for smoothly merging your PDFs:

• Add in order – Upload your PDFs already in the order you want them combined.

• Check page order – Review the final merged file to ensure the pages are in the right sequence.

• Merge small batches – For best results, merge 100 pages or less at a time.

• Name files clearly – Give your PDFs descriptive names so they’re easy to identify and organize while merging.

• Check for duplicates – Review for duplicate pages before merging a large number of PDFs.

• Use merging to optimize – Merge a bloated PDF with itself to optimize and compress it into a smaller file size.

• Sign in for access – Creating an account allows you to access your merged file from any device.

Merge PDF Files Offline

If you prefer to merge PDFs on your desktop, here are some free offline PDF merger options:

• Preview (Mac) – Preview is Mac’s built-in image and PDF viewer app that allows merging PDFs by dragging and dropping.

• Adobe Acrobat Reader – Adobe’s free PDF reader has a Merge Files option in its toolbar.

• PDFsam – This open-source app lets Windows, Mac, and Linux users combine PDFs.

• Apache PDFBox – A Java PDF library that can be used to script PDF merges. More technical.

Online PDF mergers are usually easier and faster for occasional merging tasks. But for frequent batch merging, offline software may suit your needs better.

Converting Other Files to PDF

Before merging files, you may need to convert documents like Word, JPG images, or Excel spreadsheets to PDF format first.

Here are some handy free tools:

• Adobe’s free online converter – https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/convert-pdf.html

• Smallpdf’s converter – https://smallpdf.com/pdf-converter

• Google Docs – Natively converts docs to PDF on upload.

• Windows print driver – Use the Microsoft Print to PDF option.

• Mac preview – Export files to PDF right in preview app.

Once you’ve converted your files to PDF format, you can easily merge them together into one using the PDF combiner tools covered in this post.

Merging multiple PDF files is a breeze with the right tools. Online PDF mergers provide a quick and easy way to combine PDFs right from your web browser, with no software installation required.

Some top free options include Smallpdf, Adobe Acrobat online, ILovePDF, and PDFCandy. The process is simple: add files, reorder if needed, merge, and download.