
How to Join PDF Files in One: A Comprehensive Guide
Combining multiple PDF files into a single document can be a highly useful task, whether you’re preparing a presentation, compiling research, or simply organizing your digital files. In this guide, I’ll walk you through various methods to join PDF files, ensuring that you can choose the one that best suits your needs and technical proficiency.
Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a powerful tool that offers a straightforward way to merge PDF files. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and click on “File” in the top menu.
- Select “Combine Files” from the dropdown menu.
- In the “Combine Files” dialog box, click on “Add Files” and navigate to the PDF files you want to combine.
- Once all the files are selected, you can reorder them by clicking and dragging them in the list.
- Click “Combine” to merge the files into a single PDF document.
Using Online PDF Tools
For those who prefer not to install software, there are several online tools that can help you join PDF files. Here are a few popular options:
Online Tool | Free Usage | File Size Limit | Additional Features |
---|---|---|---|
Smallpdf | Yes | 100 MB | Convert, compress, and split PDFs |
ILovePDF | Yes | 100 MB | Convert, compress, and split PDFs |
Sejda | Yes (with limitations) | 50 MB | Convert, compress, and split PDFs |
Follow these steps to use Smallpdf as an example:
- Go to Smallpdf’s merge PDF page.
- Click on “Choose Files” and select the PDF files you want to combine.
- Once the files are uploaded, you can reorder them by clicking and dragging them in the list.
- Click “Merge PDF” to combine the files into a single PDF document.
- Download the merged PDF to your computer.
Using Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word also offers a simple way to join PDF files. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Microsoft Word and click on “File” in the top menu.
- Select “Open” and navigate to the PDF file you want to convert to Word.
- Once the PDF is open in Word, click on “File” again and select “Save As.” Choose a location and name for your new Word document.
- Now, open the new Word document and click on “Insert” in the top menu.
- Select “Object” and then “Create from File.” Navigate to the PDF file you want to add to the Word document.
- Repeat this process for each PDF file you want to join.
- Save the combined Word document as a PDF by clicking on “File” and selecting “Save As.” Choose PDF as the file format.
Using Apple Preview
Apple Preview, the default PDF viewer on macOS, also allows you to join PDF files. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the first PDF file you want to combine in Apple Preview.
- Click on “File” in the top menu and select “Print.” In the print dialog box, click on the “PDF” dropdown menu and select “Save as PDF.” Choose a location and name for your new PDF document.
- Open the next PDF file you want to combine in Apple Preview.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each additional PDF file.