4 Simple Ways to Combine PDF Files on Mac for Free

When we organize PDF data, we often need to combine multiple PDF files to facilitate searching or reading. Using the merge file function, you can quickly gather all the content together, which is convenient for modifying the content.

How to merge PDF files on a Mac? Below is a specific solution for you.

👉 To get started, get PDFgear, the best PDF combiner software with support for custom page merging.

How to Combine Multiple PDFs on Mac for FREE

PDFgear is a free PDF combiner for Mac, it allows you to combine two or more PDF files into one. PDFgear provides a unique feature to combine PDF with custom page ranges, without manually deleting unwanted pages after the merging process.

Moreover, PDFgear also provides other practical features such as changing PDF page sizes in print production.

Since PDFgear is free, so make sure to download it and give it a try!

Step 1. Download, install, and launch PDFgear. Click the Merge File tool from the home screen.

Step 2. Hit the Add Files button to import the PDFs with the pages you need to combine. There are no limits on the number of files or their size.

Step 3. Select the needed PDF pages for each PDF file, and click Merge to start the merging.

How to Combine Two PDFs on Mac in Preview

Preview is the best PDF viewing, editing, and annotating app on macOS, and it might have more features you didn’t realize. This built-in tool allows its users to merge multiple PDF files, and the operation process is very simple.

Step 1. Open PDF in Preview

Open your PDF file in Preview first. To display page thumbnails in the sidebar, go to “View” > “Thumbnails”.

Step 2. Insert the PDF Page

Select Page Thumbnails to indicate where to place additional documents.

Select “Edit” > “Insert” > “Page from File” in the menu > Select the PDF you want to add from the file dialog > Click “Open”.

You can also rearrange the pages in PDF on Preview.

Step 3. Save the New PDF File

After successfully merging the two PDF files, pick “File” > “Export as PDF” to save the merged file.

How to Merge Part of One PDF with Another PDF on Preview

If you wish to insert certain pages from one PDF into another, you can also use the Preview application.

Step 1. Display Page Thumbnails

In Preview, open the two PDF files that need to be merged.

Select “View” > “Thumbnails” in each document to display page thumbnails in the sidebar.

Step 2. Merge the PDFs

Hold down the “Command” key, then choose the page thumbnails you want to add to another document. Drag the selected thumbnails to the other PDF’s sidebar, then release them where you want them to appear.

Step 3. Save the Combined PDF

Now you can save the new merged PDF file: Navigate to “File” > click to select “Export as PDF”.

How to Merge PDFs with Finder

Another built-in app is Finder which is major in managing files on your Mac. Additionally, you can preview, search customize, and create PDFs. Therefore, Finder can help you to merge multiple PDFs into one PDF.

Step 1. Put PDF Files into One Folder

The Finder only supports merging files that are placed in the same location. Therefore, place the multiple PDFs into a single folder and arrange them in the desired order.

Step 2. Merge the PDFs

Press “Command” > Left-click the mouse to select all the PDFs you want to merge > Right-click the mouse > Hover over the “Quick Actions” > Hit “Create PDF” > The new merged PDF will appear in the same location > Rename the PDF.

How to Merge PDFs Online on Mac for Free

Merge multiple PDF files and sort them to your liking. Simple and fast! No download or registration is required, PDFgear works on the cloud.

Step 1. Upload the PDF

To access the Merge PDF service within the PDFgear online tool > Click the button below.

Drag and drop PDF files into the online merger in the sequence you wish, or upload your PDF by clicking the Select PDF files option.

You can choose to add PDF files one at a time or hold down “Ctrl” on the keyboard to select multiple PDF files.

Step 2. Combine the PDF

After you’ve imported all of the PDF files that need to be merged, click the “Merge PDF” button to use the simple tool.

Step 3. Save the PDF

PDF documents will be automatically combined in the order in which they are uploaded. Click the blue “Download” button when it appears to obtain the merged PDF document.

The online PDFgear merger enables you to upload files up to 20MB. If your PDF file size exceeds this limit, we recommend downloading PDFgear, which has no restrictions on size or quantity. It’s also available for free.

FAQs

Why Can’t I Combine PDF Files on Mac?

In the case of excluding technical reasons, improper handling when dragging pages can also cause PDF files to not be merged. Dividers may appear when you drag a thumbnail (or PDF page) above or below another thumbnail pane. To ensure proper insertion, do not drag thumbnails beyond the divider.

How Do I Combine PDF Files on Mac Sierra?

If you’re using macOS Sierra or earlier, merge PDF files by dragging a thumbnail directly onto a thumbnail in another PDF.

How Do I Combine PDF Files on A Mac for Free?

The best way to merge PDFs on Macs is to try out the Preview app. If your Preview app doesn’t work on Macs, a professional PDF Merger is also advisable. As an online alternative to Preview, PDFgear is capable of accomplishing any task of merging PDFs on a Mac.

Conclusion

Merging multiple PDFs into one is a straightforward process for Mac users, available at no cost. However, Finder does come with several limitations when it comes to rearranging PDFs. While Preview can address everyday PDF-related tasks, PDFgear emerges as the optimal choice for seamlessly merging and processing your PDF files.