How to combine PDF files into one
Merging PDFs is the quickest way to send one tidy file instead of five attachments. Here is how to do it on any device, and how to get the order, page size and file size right.
On Windows or Mac
Open the merge tool, select all files in one go with Ctrl or Cmd held down, and drag them into order. On a Mac, Preview can also merge by dragging thumbnails into the sidebar, but it does not add bookmarks or blank pages.
On iPhone or Android
Tap the box to pick files from Files or Google Drive, or take photos of paper pages and add them as images. Use the arrows to reorder, since dragging is harder on a small screen.
Keeping the file small
The merged file is roughly the size of all inputs added together. If a portal limits uploads to a few megabytes, compress large scans before merging, or compress the merged PDF afterwards.
Checklist before you send
- Open the merged PDF and scroll through the bookmarks.
- Check that sideways scans were rotated.
- Remove pages you did not mean to include with a page range.
- Give the file a name the recipient will recognise.