Merge
Merge PDF files into one document
A job application packet, receipts for an expense report, chapters from different sources: sooner or later, many PDFs need to become one. This guide shows how to merge them in a minute, how to reorder individual pages along the way, and what survives the merge – and what doesn’t.
Jump right in: drop your PDFs into the PDF Werkstatt, set the order, save as one file. Free and without uploading anything.
Merge PDFsThe short version
- Drop all your PDFs (and images, if you like) into the PDF Werkstatt at once.
- Their pages appear one after another on a single workspace – drag them into the right order.
- Delete pages you don’t need and rotate crooked ones.
- Under “Save”, choose One PDF and download.
Your files stay on your device. The PDF Werkstatt runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server – which matters for contracts, transcripts or bank statements.
Step by step
- Load the files. Click “Choose files” and select several PDFs – or simply drag them onto the browser window. “Add files” appends more at any time.
- Get an overview. Every page shows up as a thumbnail. A colored dot tells you which file it came from; the file list above the pages shows each file with its page count.
- Reorder. Drag pages to where they belong. On a phone, press and hold a page briefly, then drag.
- Tidy up. Click blank pages or cover sheets you don’t need and delete them. Rotate sideways scans. “Undo” or Ctrl + Z takes back any mistake.
- Save. One PDF is preselected under “Save”. Optionally type a file name, then click “Download PDF”.
Setting the order – files and single pages
Many online tools only let you reorder whole files. In the PDF Werkstatt, every page of every file sits on one shared workspace, so you can slide page 3 of one document between pages 1 and 2 of another.
- Edit several pages at once: click pages to select them; hold Shift to select a whole range.
- Remove a whole file: click the × next to its name in the file list above the workspace.
- Reuse a page: select it and click “Duplicate” – handy for a divider page in front of every chapter.
- Save only part of it: select pages and choose “Selection only” when saving.
Files are appended in the order you pick them or your operating system hands them over (often alphabetical). Numbering file names helps – for example 01-cover-letter.pdf, 02-resume.pdf.
Example: a job application as one PDF
Many employers and application portals want a single PDF. A typical order:
| Part | Tip |
|---|---|
| 1. Cover letter | Export from Word, Pages or Google Docs as PDF. |
| 2. Resume | Export it too – don’t print and scan it, or the text gets blurry and stops being searchable. |
| 3. References, transcripts | If you only have photos or scans as JPG, drag the images straight onto the workspace. |
| 4. Certificates | Only the relevant ones; delete empty back sides. |
Pick a descriptive file name instead of scan_0034.pdf, such as Firstname_Lastname_Application.pdf. You can type it right before saving.
Cover letter, resume and scanned references – drop them all on one workspace, sort, done.
What survives the merge
The PDF Werkstatt copies pages as they are into a new file. Content is not re-rendered or recompressed.
| Element | After merging |
|---|---|
| Text and fonts | Kept; text stays selectable and searchable. |
| Images and graphics | Unchanged, original quality. |
| Web links on the pages | Still clickable. |
| Links to other pages within the document | Don’t always keep working reliably. |
| Bookmarks (the outline in the sidebar) | Not carried over. |
| Fillable form fields | May no longer be fillable – fill in forms first. |
| Password-protected PDFs | Can’t be loaded; remove the protection with the password first. |
About file size: the merged PDF is roughly as large as all input files combined. The PDF Werkstatt doesn’t compress. If the result is too big for an upload form, scanned pages are usually the reason – rescanning them at a lower resolution (say 150 dpi instead of 600 dpi) helps.
Alternatives: Mac, Acrobat, command line
Mac: Preview
Open the first PDF in Preview, show thumbnails via the View menu and drag more PDFs into the sidebar. Reorder them there by drag and drop, then save.
Adobe Acrobat
“Combine Files” is part of the paid Acrobat versions. The free Acrobat Reader can’t merge PDFs; Adobe’s online version uploads your files.
Windows
Windows has no built-in tool for merging PDFs. A browser tool like the PDF Werkstatt works without installing anything in Edge, Chrome or Firefox.
Command line
The free tools qpdf and pdftk let you script merging – see below.
For scripts and large batches, use the open-source programs qpdf or pdftk:
qpdf --empty --pages cover-letter.pdf resume.pdf references.pdf -- application.pdf
pdftk cover-letter.pdf resume.pdf references.pdf cat output application.pdfMerge your PDFs now
Load files, reorder, rotate or delete any page and save everything as one PDF – free, in your browser, no upload.
Frequently asked questions
Is merging PDFs free?
Yes. The PDF Werkstatt is free, needs no account, adds no watermark to the result and has no limit on the number of files.
Are my PDFs uploaded?
No. Files are processed only in your browser and never leave your device.
How many PDFs can I merge?
There is no fixed limit. Your device’s memory is the only constraint; dozens of files with hundreds of pages are no problem on a normal computer.
Can I mix single pages from different PDFs?
Yes. All pages of all files sit on one shared workspace and can be arranged individually by drag and drop.
Does merging reduce quality?
No. Pages are copied unchanged; text stays text and images aren’t recompressed.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, in any current mobile browser. To move a page, press and hold it briefly, then drag.
Can I merge images with PDFs?
Yes. JPG, PNG and WebP images become pages of their own and can be sorted just like PDF pages.
Sources
- Combine PDFs in Preview on Mac, Apple Support.
- qpdf – Running qpdf, command-line documentation.
- pdftk man page, PDF Labs.
- pdf-lib and PDF.js – the open-source libraries the PDF Werkstatt uses in your browser.