The quickest way on each device
| Device | Free method | Upload needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Mac | Preview (built in) | No |
| iPhone or iPad | Files app: Create PDF (built in) | No |
| Windows | PDFsam Basic (free download) | No |
| Android | A free PDF app, or an online tool | Usually |
| Any device | Online tools in the browser | Yes |
On a Mac: Preview
- Open the first PDF in Preview.
- Choose View > Thumbnails to show the sidebar.
- Drag the other PDF files from Finder into the sidebar, at the position you want them.
- Drag thumbnails to reorder pages, and press Delete to remove any you do not need.
- Choose File > Export as PDF and save with a new name, so the original stays unchanged.
Combining just a few pages: select thumbnails in one PDF and drag them into another PDF's sidebar.
A faster option: select several PDFs in Finder, right-click and choose Quick Actions > Create PDF. They are combined in the order of their names.
On iPhone and iPad: the Files app
- Open the Files app and go to the folder with your PDFs.
- Tap the three dots (or Select) and select the files in the order you want.
- Tap the three dots at the bottom and choose Create PDF.
A new PDF appears in the same folder. Rename it by long-pressing it. You can also include photos, which are turned into PDF pages.
On Windows: free desktop tools
Windows has no built-in way to merge PDFs. PDFsam Basic is a long-running, free and open-source tool that works offline:
- Download it from the official PDFsam website.
- Open it and choose Merge.
- Drag your PDFs into the window, then use the arrows to set their order.
- Choose a destination file and click Run.
Other options:
- Microsoft Word can open PDFs one at a time and paste their content into a single document, which you then save as PDF. Layouts may shift, so this suits simple text documents. See our guide to converting PDF to Word.
- Adobe Acrobat combines files in its paid plans, and Adobe offers a limited free online tool.
Download software only from the developer's official site, not from download portals, which may bundle unwanted extras.
On Android
Android has no built-in PDF merger. Options:
- A free, well-reviewed PDF app from the Google Play Store. Check the permissions and reviews.
- An online tool in Chrome (below).
Online tools
Many websites merge PDFs in the browser, including services from Adobe, Smallpdf and iLovePDF. They usually work like this:
- Upload the files.
- Drag them into order.
- Click Merge and download the result.
Free online tools often limit the number of files, file size or daily uses.
Keep private documents off the web
Uploading means a copy of your file sits on someone else's server, at least for a while. For sensitive documents (identity documents, contracts, bank statements, tax returns, medical records), use an offline method: Preview, the Files app or a desktop tool. Our guide to protecting your privacy online has more on this.
Tidying the merged file
- Reorder and delete pages before saving.
- Rotate sideways scans. In Preview, select the page and press Command-R.
- Compress large files. On a Mac: File > Export, then choose Reduce File Size under Quartz Filter. Check the text is still clear.
- Name it clearly, for example "2026-10 Visa application - J Smith.pdf".
Key takeaways
- Mac: drag PDFs into Preview's sidebar and export.
- iPhone: select files in the Files app and tap Create PDF.
- Windows: use a free offline tool such as PDFsam Basic.
- Avoid online tools for sensitive documents.