Create merged PDFs and PDF packages

The choices you make in the Combine Files wizard determine whether the files are merged into a single PDF or combined into a PDF package.

  1. Choose File > Combine Files, or click the Combine Files on the Tasks toolbar.

    If a PDF is currently open, it appears on the list of included files.

  2. In the Combine Files wizard, do any or all of the following:

    • To add individual files, click Add Files , navigate as needed, select the files, and click Add Files. Repeat as needed to add files in other locations.

    • To select all the files in a specific location, click Add Folders , navigate to the needed folder, select it, and click OK. Repeat as needed.

    • To select files that you have combined into PDFs in other sessions, click Reuse Files . Select a previously created PDF on the left list, and then, in the right list, select the component documents that you want to include. (If you have not used the Combine Files wizard before, this button is not available.)

    • To add other currently open PDFs, click Add Open Files, and select those PDFs.

    • (Windows) To add files or folders from Windows Explorer, drag them into the Combine Files wizard or right-click the selected items and choose Combine Supported Files In Acrobat.

    If any files are password-protected, one or more messages appear, in which you must enter the correct password.

    You can add a file more than once. For example, one file could be used for transition pages between other files or a blank file could be used to add blank pages.
  3. Using the list of files, do any of the following:

    • To rearrange the order of files on the list, select a file and drag it up or down the list. Or, select a file and click Move Up or Move Down.

    • To remove a file from the list, select the file name and click Remove.

    • To convert only part of a multipage source file, double-click the file, or select the file and click the Choose Pages button (see Note). In the Preview, review and select pages, as needed, following the instructions in the dialog box, which vary according to file type, and click OK. (Do not attempt to edit the document itself in the Preview.)
      Note: The name of the Choose button varies according to file type. For PDFs and Word documents, it is labeled Choose Pages. For PowerPoint files, it is Choose Slides; for Excel files, Choose Sheets; for AutoCAD, Choose Layouts; for Visio files, Sheet Selection.
  4. Select an appropriate file size and conversion options (as described in the reference topic below).
  5. Click Next, and then do one of the following:

    • To combine the files as sequential pages of a PDF, select Merge Files Into A Single PDF.

    • To combine the files into a PDF package, select Assemble Files Into A PDF Package. Then select a cover-sheet option: Use Adobe Template or Use First Document.
      Note: If any of the selected files involve digital signatures, security settings, or XML forms, warnings will appear if you select Merge Files Into A Single PDF. In this case, combining the files into a PDF Package is recommended. Also, a warning may appear if the first file listed is itself a PDF Package because its cover sheet will be modified.
  6. Use the Move Up, Move Down, and Remove buttons to make any final adjustments to the file sequence, if necessary, and then click Create.

    A status dialog box shows the progress of the file conversions. Some source applications may start and close automatically.

  7. When the conversion is complete, review the preview thumbnails. If you want to make changes, click the Back button in the wizard, make the changes, and proceed forward again.
  8. Click Save, and select a name and location for the merged PDF or PDF package.

    The default name of a new package is Package [n].

Conversion settings

Conversion settings affect all files that will be converted to PDF from other file formats. The three options available in the Combine Files wizard apply three different conversion presets.

You can customize the default conversion preferences (choose Edit > Preferences, select Convert To PDF under Categories, and then specify the settings you want to use).

Smaller File Size

Reduces large images to screen resolution and compresses, using low-quality JPEG. Suitable for on-screen display, email, and the Internet.

Note: If any of the source files are already PDFs, the Smaller File Size option applies the Reduce File Size feature to those files. This is not done if either the Default File Size or Larger File Size options are selected.


Default File Size

Creates PDFs suitable for reliable viewing and printing of business documents.



Larger File Size

Applies the High Quality Print conversion preset.



Options button

Opens the Options For Conversion Settings dialog box, which contains the following options:

Always Enable Accessibility And Reflow

Improves the readability for users with disabilities and on small-screen devices.



Always Add Bookmarks To Adobe PDF

Converts existing bookmarks in different native file formats to Adobe PDF bookmarks.

Note: An individual PDF created by merging multiple files into a single PDF has structured bookmarks that you can use to print or delete individual documents from the PDF. You can also use the bookmarks to extract the original component files as independent PDFs.




Related Information