How to Combine Multiple PDFs Into One File

If you have several PDF documents that belong together — like multiple pages from a scanner — here's how to merge them into one PDF for free.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Merge PDFs online with ilovepdf.com
2.Merge PDFs on a Mac using Preview
3.Merge PDFs on an iPhone using the Files app
4.Use Smallpdf for larger or more complex merges

Merge PDFs online with ilovepdf.com

~24s

Go to ilovepdf.com → "Merge PDF." Click "Select PDF files" and choose all the PDFs you want to combine. You can select multiple files at once by holding the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Mac) while clicking. Once uploaded, drag and drop the files to put them in the order you want. Click "Merge PDF." Download the combined file. The process is free and takes about 30 seconds for most documents.

Merge PDFs on a Mac using Preview

~33s

Open the first PDF in Preview. Go to ViewThumbnails to see the page list on the left. Open the second PDF in a separate Preview window. Drag its thumbnail pages from the left panel into the first document's thumbnail panel — drop them after the last page of the first document. Repeat for any additional PDFs. When done, go to FileExport as PDF and save the combined document. No internet connection needed.

Quick Tip

You can also rearrange individual pages this way — drag them up or down in the thumbnail view to reorder them before saving.

Merge PDFs on an iPhone using the Files app

~30s

On iPhone, open the Files app. Press and hold the first PDF → "Select." Tap the other PDFs you want to combine (check marks appear). Tap the Share icon at the bottom left → "Create PDF." iOS combines the selected files into one PDF. Tap the Share icon on the new PDF to save it or send it. Note: this works best for PDFs that are already on your iPhone — if they are in email, save them to Files first by long-pressing an attachment and tapping "Save to Files."

Use Smallpdf for larger or more complex merges

~20s

For more than 5 PDFs or files over 50 MB total, smallpdf.com handles larger merges more reliably than most free options. Go to smallpdf.com → "Merge PDF." Upload all your files, rearrange as needed, and click "Merge PDF." The free version allows occasional merges without an account. For frequent use, Smallpdf's paid plan ($9/month) removes all restrictions.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Combine Multiple PDFs Into One File

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When you scan a multi-page document one page at a time, or receive several related PDFs from different sources, you often end up with a handful of separate files that should be one. Merging PDFs brings them all together into a single document that is easier to share and keep organized. This can be done for free on any device using a browser, without downloading any software.

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