How to merge PDF pages

Would you like to combine the contents of two or more PDF files into one document, but don’t know how to do it? Are you looking for a program that can merge PDF pages by letting you choose which ones to keep and which not, but you don’t intend to turn to any expensive commercial software? Well, I’m happy to let you know that you’ve come to the right place at the right time.

In fact, below you will find some programs, online services and apps that allow you to do what you need totally free (or almost). That is, they allow the content of two or more PDF files to be merged, offering the user the possibility of reordering them and/or choosing which pages to keep and which not of each document. In this way, you can create “unique” PDFs with only the pages you need inside.

The solutions in question are all externally intuitive, it takes very little to understand how they work. In any case, if you need it, below you will find the necessary instructions to download and use the various tools to merge PDFs. I bet you will be amazed at how easy it is to get the job done. Now, however, ban the chatter and take action: there are documents that need to be unified, and also quickly!

Index

• How to merge PDF pages into one file
  • PDFtk Free (Windows)
  • Preview (macOS)
  • Other solutions to merge PDF pages into one file
• How to merge PDF pages online
  • iLovePDF
  • Other solutions to merge PDF pages online
• App to merge PDF pages
  • PDF Merge (Android / iOS / iPadOS)
  • Other apps to merge PDF pages

How to merge PDF pages into one file

Would you like to find out what are tools to use to merge PDF pages into a single file by acting as a computer? Then keep reading. In fact, below you will find those that in my humble opinion represent the best solutions available for Windows and macOS. Put them to the test, I’m sure you won’t regret it.

PDFtk Free (Windows)

If you need to merge PDF pages and you are using a Windows computer, try downloading PDFtk Free. It is a free application that allows you to merge and divide documents in PDF format by choosing, if necessary, which pages to keep and which to discard. Note that it is also available in a paid variant (which costs $ 3.99) which allows you to make further changes to PDFs, rotating them, adding watermarks etc.

To download the program on your computer, connect to its website and click on the Download PDFtk Free button located in the middle of the page.

When the download is complete, open the pdftk_free-xx-win-setup.exe file you just obtained and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, click on the Yes and Next buttons. Then accept the conditions of use of the software, placing the checkmark next to the item I accept the agreement, and complete the setup by clicking in sequence on the Next  (four consecutive times), Install and Finish buttons.

Now that you see the main program window on the screen, click on the Add PDF button located at the top left, select the documents to be merged and press the Create PDF button to save the final document.

Don’t want to keep all the pages of the PDFs, but only merge some of them? Then double-click the Pages to copy field located next to the title of each document and type in the page numbers to keep. You can type single page numbers (e.g. 1,3,5 to keep only pages 1, 3 and 5 of the selected PDF), specific page ranges (e.g. 1-5,8-10 to keep pages from 1 to 5 and 8 to 10, skipping the others) or combine the two (e.g. 1,3,5-10 to keep only pages 1 and 3 and the page range from 5 to 10).

When the operation is complete, click on the Create PDF button, indicate the location where you want to save the output file and the name you want to assign it and a single document will be generated containing only the pages you specified.

Preview (macOS)

If you are using macOS, you can merge PDF pages with Mac without having to download any programs to your computer. All you need, in fact, is  Preview, the software for viewing images and documents in PDF format included “as standard” on Apple-branded computers. It also integrates some tools and functions to make simple changes to the files that are given to it “at meal”, consequently it can also be used to perform the operation object of this tutorial.

In order to use Preview for your purpose, the first step you need to take is to import all the PDFs to be merged within the application. Select, therefore, the documents to work on, pressing the command key on the keyboard, left-clicking with the mouse on the related icons, then right-clicking on any of them and choosing the items Open with and Preview from the contextual menu that appears. Alternatively, open any of the PDFs in Preview and drag the others to the sidebar of the application (if it is not visible, you can recall it by selecting the View menu at the top left and then the Thumbnails item in it).

Next, reorder the page thumbnails as you see fit by left-clicking on them and, continuing to hold them, drag them to the desired position. To delete a page, instead, click on its thumbnail and press the space bar on your Mac keyboard.

Finally, go to the File menu at the top left, select the Print item in it, choose the Save as PDF option in the drop-down menu located in the lower-left part of the new window that opens and indicates the position in which save the “unified” PDF.

Other solutions to merge PDF pages into one file

Didn’t the resources to merge PDF pages into a single document that I have proposed in the previous lines have been able to attract your attention in a particular way? I’m sorry but… don’t throw in the towel just yet! First try to take a look at the other solutions that I have included in the following list, maybe you can find something that is right for you.

• Acrobat Pro DC( Windows / macOS ) – Adobe software thanks to which it is possible to open, view and edit PDF files in various ways, even merging them. It is compatible with both Windows and macOS. Note that to be able to merge PDF Acrobat pages you have to bear the cost of the subscription to the service (which has prices starting from 18.29 euros/month), which can be tried for free and without limitations for 7 days.
• PDF Merge Tool( Windows ) – this is free software for Windows operating systems only that allows you to merge multiple PDF files together. It does not require installation and is extremely intuitive.
• PDF Toolkit +( macOS ) – is a paid application (costs € 2.29) available for macOS that can be definitive as a sort of Swiss army knife for PDFs. In fact, it allows you to perform various operations on files of this type, including merging.

How to merge PDF pages online

Instead of using the “classic” computer software, would you prefer to merge PDF pages online, then relying on the appropriate Web services? Then I have here what is right for you. In fact, below you will find those that in my opinion are the best resources belonging to the category in question, working from any browser and operating system. Try them now and you won’t regret it!

iLovePDF

If you are looking for a working tool online to be able to merge PDF pages, I recommend that you try iLovePDF. It is a Web service that allows you to edit and convert PDFs in various ways, even going to unify them. It’s free, but it allows you to work on documents up to 200MB and process only one file at a time. To get around these limitations and unlock other additional functions, you need to subscribe to a paid subscription (with costs starting from 6 euros/month). It should also be noted that it protects the privacy of users, as the documents uploaded to the service are automatically removed from the latter’s servers within a few hours of uploading.

To use iLovePDF, visit its home page, click on the Select PDF file button and pick up the PDFs you want to work on from your computer. Alternatively, directly drag the documents you want to merge into the navigator window. You can choose to upload the document also from your Google Drive or Dropbox account, by pressing the appropriate buttons.

Then, if necessary, change the order in which the PDFs are arranged by clicking on their thumbnails and, continuing to hold, drag them to the desired position. If you want, you can also quickly sort the files by name, by clicking on the button with the arrow and the letters on the right.

Finally, click on the Merge PDF button located at the bottom right and, once the process is complete, the output document will be automatically downloaded to your computer. If this does not happen, you can force the download by pressing the Download merged PDF button. You can also decide to save the final file on Google Drive or Dropbox or to share it via URL, simply by pressing the appropriate buttons.

Other solutions to merge PDF pages online

Are you looking for other online solutions through which you can merge PDF pages? I’ll settle you immediately. You can find them in the following list.

• PDF Candy– this is a web service that provides users with various tools for editing PDF files. Of course, it also includes a tool to unify documents. Note that it does not allow you to upload files with a weight greater than 500 MB. To get around this limitation and unlock other extra functions, you need to subscribe to a paid subscription (at a basic cost of 6 euros/month). As far as user privacy is concerned, this is protected, as the PDFs uploaded to the service’s servers are automatically deleted within a few hours.
• Online2PDF– is a convenient online service at no cost that allows you to merge up to 20 documents at a time for a total weight of 100 MB for a single file and 150 MB if multiple PDFs are loaded simultaneously. To work it does not need to create a special account. Protect user privacy by deleting personal files within hours of uploading.
• PDF2Go– is another online service for merging PDFs, but it can also be used to make other editing options on the type of file in question. Its operation is very intuitive and allows you to upload files with a maximum size of 50 MB. To get around this limit and unlock other functions, you need to create an account and/or subscribe to the paid plan (at a cost of € 5.50 / month). Users’ privacy, on the other hand, is protected since the contents uploaded to the service are automatically removed from its servers within a few hours.

App to merge PDF pages

You don’t have a computer at your fingertips and would like to understand which are the best apps to merge PDF pages, so as to go and act from Android smartphones and tablets and iOS / iPadOS devices? Then continue reading, you will find them reported below.

PDF Merge (Android / iOS / iPadOS)

To be able to merge PDF pages from mobile, I suggest you turn to the use of  PDF Merge. As the name promises, it is an app for Android and iOS / iPadOS that allows you to merge multiple PDF files together by taking them from various cloud storage services and/or intervening directly within other apps. The only negative is the fact that to get the unified PDF file you have to wait at least 60 minutes. To get around this limitation, you need to make in-app purchases (at a cost of 10.99 euros).

To download and install the app on your device, proceed as follows: if you are using Android, visit the relevant section of the Play Store and press the Install button (if you are using a device on which there is no Play Store, you can download the app from alternative stores ); if, on the other hand, you are using an iOS / iPadOS device, access the relevant section of the App Store, press the Get button, then the Install button and authorize the download via Face ID, Touch ID or Apple ID password.

Then, start the app by selecting the relative icon that has been added to the home screen and when you view the main screen of PDF Merge choose whether or not to consent to receiving notifications, then press the red button with the two sheets located at the top, select the service from which you intend to take the PDF files to be merged by tapping on the reference icon and provide any permissions required.

At this point, select the files you want to act on, then reorder them according to your preferences and needs by pressing the button with the three lines horizontally located on the right and moving them while continuing to hold down.

To finish, press on the Merge item at the top left, tap on the Wait item and wait for the whole procedure to merge the files to be started and completed. Later, you will receive a notification, you will be shown the preview of the unified document and you can save it in another location on your device or in any case on other services by tapping on the word Share at the bottom left.

Other apps to merge PDF pages

Looking for other apps through which you can merge PDF pages? Try to take a look at the solutions belonging to the category in question that I have included in the list below! I sincerely hope that in the end you will be able to find something that will satisfy you.

• PDF Element( Android / iOS / iPadOS ) – application available for Android and iOS / iPadOS that allows you to view, edit, annotate, convert and sign PDF documents, all very easily and most importantly, for free. It is available for both Android and iOS / iPadOS.
• PDF Tools( Android ) – this is an application that offers its users various tools for working on PDF documents. It, therefore, allows you to merge PDFs, split them, protect them with a password, unlock them, etc. It’s free, but offers in-app purchases (at a cost of € 2.49) to unlock all available functions.
• PDF Expert( iOS / iPadOS ) – app for iPhone and iPad that allows you to view documents in PDF format and to work on them in various ways, even by merging them. Basically it is free but offers in-app purchases (at a cost of 52.99 euros/year) to unlock all the features offered.