Job applications that want one PDF containing your CV, cover letter and certificates. Expense claims that need every receipt in a single file. A 200-page manual when you only need chapter 4. Most everyday PDF jobs come down to the same few operations: merge, split, delete and rotate.
This guide walks through each one, with tips that save time and keep your documents tidy.
Merging PDFs: combine files into one document
Merging takes several PDF files and joins them, in order, into a single PDF.
When to merge
- Submitting an application that accepts a single upload.
- Combining scanned receipts or invoices for an expense report.
- Assembling chapters, appendices or signed pages into a final document.
- Sending one tidy attachment instead of six separate ones.
How to merge PDFs
With our Merge PDFs tool:
- Add your files — drag them all onto the page at once, or add them one by one.
- Arrange the order by dragging the thumbnails. The order you see is the order of the final document.
- Merge and download the combined PDF.
Everything happens inside your browser, so the files are never uploaded — handy when you are combining personal documents like ID scans, payslips or medical records.
Merging tips
- Name your files with numbers first (
01-cover-letter.pdf,02-cv.pdf,03-references.pdf). They'll load in a sensible order, and you'll have less dragging to do. - Fix rotation before merging. One sideways scan in the middle of a document looks careless. See the rotation section below.
- Check the total size if you're emailing the result. Scanned pages add up fast — our guide to compressing a PDF for email explains how to bring it down.
Splitting PDFs: extract the pages you need
Splitting does the opposite: it takes one PDF and produces one or more smaller PDFs.
When to split
- Sending someone only the relevant pages of a long contract or report.
- Breaking a large file into parts that fit within email limits.
- Separating a batch scan into individual documents.
- Pulling a single signed page out of a multi-page agreement.
How to split a PDF
Split PDF gives you a few ways to do it:
- Custom ranges — specify exactly which pages go into each output file, for example pages 1–3 in one file and 4–10 in another.
- Fixed ranges — split the document every n pages. A 60-page scan split every 10 pages gives you six files.
- Extract pages — pick individual pages and save them as separate files, or extract every page into its own PDF.
When multiple files are produced, each one is listed with its size and its own download button.
Understanding page ranges
Page numbers in a range refer to the physical order of pages in the file, starting at 1 — not to the printed page numbers in the document's footer. A report whose first numbered page is "iii" still starts at page 1 for splitting purposes. If in doubt, check the thumbnails before you split.
Deleting pages: remove what you don't need
Blank pages from double-sided scanning, an outdated appendix, a cover sheet no one needs — Delete PDF Pages lets you click the pages you want gone and download a clean copy. Removing unnecessary pages is also the easiest way to make a document smaller without touching its quality.
Rotating pages: fix sideways and upside-down scans
Phone scans and landscape tables often end up the wrong way round. Rotate PDF Pages lets you turn individual pages (or the whole document) by 90°, 180° or 270°, and the rotation is saved permanently in the file — not just in your viewer.
A sensible order of operations
When you're preparing a document from several sources, this order avoids redoing work:
- Rotate any sideways pages in the individual files.
- Delete blank or unnecessary pages.
- Merge everything in the right order.
- Compress the final file if it's going by email.
- Protect it with a password if it contains sensitive information — see how to password protect a PDF.
Real-world examples
A job application. Merge your cover letter, CV and certificates into a single PDF named Firstname-Lastname-Application.pdf. Recruiters appreciate one clean file.
Monthly expenses. Photograph receipts, convert them with Image to PDF, merge them with the expense form, and compress the result.
A long contract. Split out the signature pages, sign them, and merge them back into the full agreement in the correct position.
Course materials. Split a textbook PDF by chapter so each file opens instantly on a tablet.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a limit to how many PDFs I can merge?
There's no artificial limit. Because merging runs on your own device, very large jobs (hundreds of pages of high-resolution scans) depend on your computer's memory. If a big merge feels slow, merge in two or three batches and then merge the results.
Will merging or splitting reduce quality?
No. Merging, splitting, deleting and rotating copy the existing pages as they are — text stays selectable and images keep their original resolution.
Can I merge password-protected PDFs?
You'll need to remove the password first, which requires knowing it. Use Remove PDF Password, then merge as normal.
Do bookmarks and links survive?
Page content is preserved exactly. Document-level extras such as bookmarks, form fields and internal links may not carry over when pages are combined from different files, so check those if your document relies on them.
Wrapping up
Merging, splitting, deleting and rotating cover the vast majority of PDF organising tasks — and none of them need paid software. Get into the habit of the rotate → delete → merge → compress order, and you'll produce clean, professional documents every time.