How to Merge PDF Files on Windows
Windows can't merge PDFs from File Explorer or Edge, and Microsoft Print to PDF prints one document per job; Power Automate, which comes with Windows 11, can combine them in a small flow you build yourself. File Acture's Merge PDFs combines them in one step, in an order you drag into place, and writes a new file without touching the originals.
Updated September 24, 20265 min read
By the File Acture team
Scans from three sessions, a cover letter plus a CV, monthly statements for your accountant: sooner or later you need one PDF instead of five. Windows makes this surprisingly awkward. Here's what the built-in tools can and can't do, and a quicker way for regular use.
When should you combine PDF files?
Combine PDFs whenever the person or system on the other end expects one document: an application portal with a single upload field, a client who wants one invoice pack, or your own archive of a year's statements.
One file is also easier to print in the right order, to send by email and to find later. The things to watch are the order of the pages and, with large scans, the size of the result.
Can you merge PDFs on Windows without extra software?
Not with the tools you'd expect. Microsoft Edge, the default PDF reader on Windows 11, shows one PDF per tab and can't add pages from another file. Microsoft Print to PDF prints one document per print job, so printing three PDFs gives you three new PDFs, not one, and File Explorer has no merge command.
Word can open a PDF, but it converts it into an editable document first, so the layout often shifts and fonts are replaced. Pasting several converted PDFs together works for plain text and falls apart with statements, forms and scans.
Merging PDFs with Power Automate
Power Automate, the automation app that comes with Windows 11, can merge PDFs. Sign in (a Microsoft account works), create a desktop flow, add the Merge PDF files action, list the PDFs in the order you want, set Merged PDF path to a new file and run the flow.
It works, but it's built for automation rather than quick jobs. Bookmarks from the originals aren't included in the result, and Microsoft's documentation warns against saving the merged file over one of the originals. For the same monthly merge of the same folders, the setup can pay off.
How to merge PDF files with File Acture
File Acture's Merge PDFs combines two or more PDFs into a new file in the order you arrange them in the list. Drag the rows up or down, type a name under Result, and click Merge.
The pages are copied as they are, so text stays selectable and images aren't re-encoded. The first file becomes the base: its bookmarks, title and viewer settings are kept, and the pages of the other files come in with their links and comments. The merged file ends up about as large as all the inputs together, since every page brings its own images and fonts.
The new PDF is saved to the folder you pick under Save to, and your originals stay unchanged. Because nothing is uploaded, statements, contracts and medical records never leave your PC.
How to merge PDFs and images into one file
Merge PDFs only takes PDFs, so turn photos and scans into a PDF first with Images to PDF, then merge that file with the others.
Images to PDF can put each photo on an A4 or US Letter page, so the photo pages match the size of the rest of the document. A receipt photographed with your phone then sits in the merged file like any other page. Windows can also make a PDF from pictures by printing them to Microsoft Print to PDF; the Images to PDF guide covers both ways.
What to check before you merge PDFs
Before you merge, unlock any password-protected files, settle the page order and check the size limit of wherever the PDF is going.
- Locked files: a PDF that needs a password to open has to be unlocked first with Unlock PDF. File Acture tells you when one of your files is protected.
- Only some pages? Pull them out first with the custom ranges in Split PDF, then merge the parts.
- Sideways pages: turn them upright with Rotate Pages first, so the combined file reads straight through.
- Size limits: a merged scan can get big. Shrink it with Compress PDF and a target such as 5 MB.
- Bookmarks: only the first file's bookmarks are kept, so put the file with the table of contents first.
- How many files: the free version merges up to 5 PDFs per run, with 3 runs on each PC. Pro removes the limit; see pricing.
Is it safe to merge PDFs online?
Merging online means uploading every file you combine, and those are often the documents you'd least like to share: bank statements, contracts, tax papers. File Acture does the whole job on your PC. When the free version counts a run, it sends the tool's name and anonymous identifiers, never anything about your files.
For what happens to a file once it is uploaded, see whether online PDF tools are safe.
How to merge PDF files with File Acture
- 1
Add your PDFs
Open Merge PDFs and drag in two or more PDFs, or click Choose Files….
- 2
Set the order
Drag the files in the list into the order you want the pages to appear.
- 3
Name the result
Under Result, type a File name for the combined PDF.
- 4
Pick a folder
Under Output, choose where to save it with Save to.
- 5
Merge
Click Merge. The combined PDF is saved to that folder, and the originals stay as they were.
Merge PDFs in the order you want, right on your PC.
Free to try · runs on your PC
| Method | Set the order first | Bookmarks | File leaves your PC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Print to PDF | No, it can't combine files | Lost | No |
| Power Automate, Merge PDF files | Yes, in the file list | Not included | No |
| Online mergers | Yes | Varies | Yes |
| File Acture Merge PDFs | Yes, drag the list | First file's are kept | No |
Questions
How do I combine PDF files on Windows for free?
Windows has no merge button. Power Automate, which comes with Windows 11, can do it with its Merge PDF files action, and File Acture's free version merges up to 5 PDFs per run, with 3 runs on each PC.
Can Microsoft Print to PDF combine PDFs?
No. It prints one document per print job, so printing several PDFs gives you several new files, not one.
How do I merge PDFs in a specific order?
In File Acture, drag the files in the list into order before you click Merge. In Power Automate, list the files in the order you want in the Merge PDF files action.
Does merging PDFs reduce quality?
No. File Acture copies the pages as they are, without re-encoding images or turning text into pictures.
Can I merge password-protected PDFs?
Remove the password first with Unlock PDF, using the password you know, then merge the unlocked copy.
Are bookmarks kept when merging PDFs?
In File Acture, the first file's bookmarks, title and viewer settings are kept, and the links and comments on every page come along. Power Automate's merge leaves bookmarks out.