The simplest way to combine documents into a single PDF

The fastest route depends on what you already have open. If both documents are already PDFs, most PDF readers let you drag pages from one into the other without installing anything new. If one or both are Word documents, Google Docs, or another format, you'll convert them to PDF first, then merge. The actual merging takes under a minute once the files are ready.

On Windows, macOS, and Linux, the free PDF reader built into your system can handle basic merging. On Windows, that's Microsoft Edge. On Mac, it's Preview. On Linux, it's usually GNOME Documents or Evince. If you need to reorder pages or delete specific ones before merging, a dedicated free tool like PDFtk or Smallpdf works better than dragging pages manually.

The method you choose matters most if you care about privacy — some online PDF tools store your files on their servers, while desktop tools keep everything on your computer. Since you came from the privacy guide, we'll show you both routes and flag which ones keep your data local.

Key Takeaways

  • PDF readers built into Windows (Edge), macOS (Preview), and Linux can merge two PDFs by dragging pages between them without extra software.
  • If your documents are Word files or Google Docs, export them as PDFs first, then merge using your system's PDF reader or a desktop tool.
  • Desktop tools like PDFtk and ILovePDF's offline version keep your files on your computer, while web-based tools upload to their servers.
  • Reordering pages before merging takes the same time as after, so check the final order before you save the merged file.
  • The merged PDF will be larger than either original file, so make sure you have disk space and that your recipient can open large attachments.

Merging two PDFs using your system's built-in reader

On Windows with Microsoft Edge: Open the first PDF in Edge. Click the three-dot menu in the top right, then select "Print". In the print dialog, change the printer to "Print to PDF". Under "More settings", find "Pages" and leave it blank to print all pages. Click "Save" and choose where to save the file — this creates a temporary copy. Close that window and open the second PDF in Edge. Repeat the print-to-PDF step, but this time save it with a different name. Now you have two PDFs ready to merge.

To actually combine them, open the first PDF in Edge again. Click the three-dot menu and look for "Organize pages" or "Edit PDF" — the exact wording changes with Edge updates. If you see "Organize pages", click it. You should see thumbnail previews of all pages from the first PDF. Look for a button that says "Insert" or a plus icon. Click it and select the second PDF file. Edge will add all pages from the second PDF to the end of the first one. Click "Save" and choose a new filename for the merged result.

On macOS with Preview: Open the first PDF in Preview. Go to the menu bar and click "File", then "Open". Select the second PDF — Preview will open it in a new window. In the window with the first PDF, go to "Edit" in the menu bar and click "Select All". This highlights all pages. Now drag that window's thumbnail panel (on the left side) over to the second PDF's window. The pages from the first PDF will insert into the second one. Go to "File" and click "Save As" to save the merged result with a new name.

On Linux: The method depends on which PDF reader you have installed. GNOME Documents and Evince do not have built-in merge features. Instead, use the command line tool pdftk (see the section below on desktop tools) or open both PDFs in a tool like Okular, which lets you export selected pages as a new PDF, then repeat the process with the second file's pages.

Converting Word documents and Google Docs to PDF before merging

If one or both of your documents are Word files (.docx) or Google Docs, you must convert them to PDF first. The conversion is free and takes a few seconds.

From a Word document: Open the file in Microsoft Word. Click "File" in the top left, then "Save As". In the dialog that opens, find the dropdown that says "Save as type" and click it. Scroll down and select "PDF". Choose where to save the file and click "Save". Word converts the document to PDF and saves it in that location. Repeat this for any other Word documents you want to merge.

From Google Docs: Open the document in Google Docs. Click "File" in the top left menu, then hover over "read" and click "PDF Document (.pdf)". Your browser will read the PDF to your Downloads folder. If you need to merge multiple Google Docs, repeat this step for each one.

Once all your documents are PDFs, follow the system reader instructions above to merge them. The process is identical whether the PDFs came from Word, Google Docs, or were already PDFs.

Using desktop tools to merge and reorder pages

If you need to reorder pages, delete specific pages, or keep your files completely offline, a desktop tool gives you more control than dragging pages in a reader. PDFtk is free, works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and runs entirely on your computer — nothing uploads to the internet.

To use PDFtk on Windows: read the installer from pdftk.com, run it, and follow the setup steps. Once installed, open Command Prompt (search for "cmd" in the Windows search bar). Type the command: pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf cat output merged.pdf. Replace "file1.pdf" and "file2.pdf" with the actual names of your files, and "merged.pdf" with what you want to call the result. Press Enter. PDFtk combines the files in the order you listed them and saves the result in the same folder.

On macOS and Linux, the process is similar but uses Terminal instead of Command Prompt. Open Terminal, navigate to the folder where your PDFs are stored using the cd command, then type the same PDFtk command above. If you're not comfortable with the command line, skip to the next section on web-based tools.

To reorder pages with PDFtk, modify the command to list pages in the order you want: pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf cat 1-5 10-15 output merged.pdf. This example takes pages 1 through 5 from file1.pdf and pages 10 through 15 from file2.pdf, in that order. You can also reverse pages or skip them entirely by adjusting the numbers.

Using web-based tools when desktop software isn't an option

If you prefer not to install software, several free web-based PDF tools can merge files. The trade-off is that your files upload to the tool's servers while processing happens. If privacy is your main concern, use a desktop tool instead — but if you're merging documents that aren't sensitive, web tools are faster and require no installation.

Smallpdf (smallpdf.com) and ILovePDF (ilovepdf.com) both have free merge features. On Smallpdf, click "Merge PDF" from the home page, then drag both PDF files into the upload area or click to browse for them. Arrange the pages in the order you want by dragging the thumbnails. Click "Merge" and read the result. ILovePDF works the same way: click "Merge PDF", upload your files, arrange them, and click "Merge PDFs".

Both tools delete your files from their servers after a few hours, but they do temporarily store them during processing. If your documents contain sensitive information, use a desktop tool instead. For routine documents like combining a cover page with a report, web tools are convenient and fast.

Some web tools offer offline versions you can read and run on your computer. ILovePDF has a desktop process that works like the web version but keeps files local. If you want the convenience of a web interface without uploading, this is a middle ground.

Checking file size and compatibility before sending the merged PDF

After merging, the new PDF will be larger than either original file — usually the sum of both, sometimes slightly smaller if the tool compresses images. Check the file size by right-clicking the merged PDF and selecting "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (macOS). If the file is over 25 MB, some email providers will reject it or put it in spam. Many recipients also have trouble opening very large PDFs on phones or older computers.

If the merged file is too large, you have two options. First, you can split it back into separate PDFs and send them individually — most email systems handle multiple attachments better than one huge file. Second, you can compress the PDF using a tool like Smallpdf's compress feature or by re-exporting from your PDF reader with lower image quality. This reduces file size but may make images or text slightly blurry.

Before sending, open the merged PDF in your system's PDF reader to make sure pages are in the right order and nothing was cut off during merging. Scroll through the entire file — this takes a minute and catches problems before your recipient sees them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I merge more than two PDFs at once?

Yes. With system readers like Edge and Preview, you repeat the insert step for each additional PDF. With PDFtk, list all files in the command: pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf file3.pdf cat output merged.pdf. Web tools like Smallpdf and ILovePDF let you upload as many PDFs as you want and arrange them all before merging.

What if the pages are in the wrong order after merging?

If you used a system reader, you can open the merged PDF and use the organize pages feature again to reorder them, then save. If you used PDFtk, run the command again with pages listed in the correct order. Web tools let you re-upload and rearrange before merging again.

Does merging a PDF change the original files?

No. Merging creates a new PDF file and leaves your original files untouched. You can delete the originals after confirming the merged version looks correct.

Why is my merged PDF larger than expected?

PDFs sometimes contain hidden data like metadata, comments, or embedded fonts that add to file size. If both original PDFs were scanned images rather than text, the merged file will be especially large. Compressing the merged PDF reduces size but may reduce image quality.

Can I merge PDFs on my phone?

Mobile PDF readers typically don't have merge features. On iPhone, you can use the Files app to view PDFs side by side, but merging requires a web tool or desktop computer. On Android, some PDF apps like Adobe Acrobat Reader have basic merge features, but desktop tools are more reliable.