Can I combine PDFs in Preview? Preview is the default Mac app for PDF files, however, there is no "Combine" feature with it. Although there is no such feature, it's still possible to merge two or more separate PDF files into a single document using Preview. In this article, we will introduce the tricks to do it. Read on to find out more.
In case you want to find a better way to combine PDF files on Mac, we will introduce UPDF which offers a Batch Combine feature to help you straightforwardly to you. You can click the below button to download UPDF directly here.
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2 Ways to Merge PDFs in Preview
Two options are available to help you merge PDFs in Preview: combining whole files and combining only a portion of a file. Here's how to merge PDF in Mac with preview:
Way 1. How to Merge 2 PDFs in Preview
If you want to merge 2 PDF files in Preview, follow these instructions:
- Find the PDF in your Finder. Right-click to select "Open with" > "Preview" to open your PDF file in Preview.
- Click on "View" and check the "Thumbnails" to open the thumbnail panel on the left side.
- Click on one thumbnail where you want to insert the PDF file after it.
- Select "Edit > Insert > Page from file"
- Click Open to add the PDF document you selected.
- Select File > Export to combine these two PDF files into one PDF with Preview.
Way 2. How to Merge a Part of a PDF with Another PDF in Preview
If you only want to merge several pages from one PDF to another one PDF, you can follow the below steps.
- Find the PDF files in your Finder on Mac. You can right-click to select "Open with" > "Preview" to open one PDF file and repeat the same steps for the other PDF files.
- Click on one PDF in the preview and go to "View > Thumbnails" to make sure the thumbnail panel appears on the left side panel, then, repeat the steps for the second PDF in the Preview.
- Hold on to the "CMD" and click on the pages in one PDF that you want to merge into the other PDF file. When you select all the pages you need, hold on the left side of your mouse to drag all the selected pages to the thumbnail in the other PDF where you want to put all the selected pages and release your mouse.
- In order to save your new file, select File > Export from the menu.
Here are two guides to merge PDF files with Preview. However, there are many disadvantages to using Preview. Here are the top 4 ones.
Disadvantages of Using Preview to Merge PDFs
- It takes a long time if you have bulk PDF files that need to be merged.
- Lack of advanced features such as editing text in PDFs, OCR text recognition, etc.
- Limited native sharing options.
- Only available to Mac users.
To avoid these disadvantages, we will show you a better alternative, UPDF here.
How to Merge PDF files with UPDF (A Better Alternative)
UPDF for Mac is an excellent alternative to Mac Preview, offering robust features for merging PDF files efficiently. With UPDF, you can seamlessly combine over 100 PDFs into a single file on your Mac, adjust their order as needed before merging, set your file names as the bookmarks in the merged file automatically, and combine other formats to PDF like images, Word, Excel, PPT, and more.
UPDF, in contrast to Preview for Mac, is compatible with Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android operating systems. You will have no trouble editing, annotating, converting, or managing PDF files when you use this best PDF editor.
Take advantage of UPDF's powerful functionalities by clicking the button below to give it a try.
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How Do I Combine PDFs with Preview Alternative - UPDF?
Let's introduce the detailed guide to combine PDFs on Mac with this Preview replacement.
- Step 1. Run the UPDF program on your device. Click the "Batch PDFs" > "Combine".
- Step 2. You can add the PDF files you want to combine in the new window. Click the "Add Files" option to add as many PDF files as you need without worrying about quality and speed. UPDF allows you to add PDF files as well as image files together.
- Step 3. After you add the files, you can change the order of your PDFs.
- Step 4. Click the "Apply" button, choose a folder for the merged PDF file, and click "Save". You will get the PDF file immediately.
If you have other file formats like images, Word, Excel, PPT, etc and want to combine them into one PDF. You can follow the below guide.
Click on "Batch PDFs" > "Create PDF" > "Add Files" > "Combine Files into a Single PDF" > "Apply" to combine all these files into one PDF.
For a more detailed guide about how to combine PDF files on Mac with UPDF, you can watch the below video.
Why Should I Choose UPDF over Preview?
Although Preview allows you to combine PDFs, the process is complicated and you can't do it in batch. It is better to use more professional PDF software like UPDF to help you do the task. If you are still confused about which software to use, check the comparison chart below to help you choose wisely.
| UPDF | Preview | |
| Combine PDFs | 1. Batch combines PDF, Word, Excel, Images, etc into one PDF. 2. Set file names as bookmarks in merged PDF automatically. | There is no Combine option in Preview. You can only insert another PDF file into the correct PDF file. |
| Batch Process | ||
| Edit the existing text in PDF | ||
| OCR Text Recognition | ||
| Convert PDF to Word/Excel/PPT | ||
| Add Stamps to PDF | ||
| Rating | 4.8 | 3.5 |
After checking the comparison chart, it is clear that UPDF is always the best option for you. Try it now, or learn the full comparison between Preview and UPDF here.
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FAQs on Merging PDFs with Preview
Can you combine PDF files in Mac Preview?
Yes, you can combine PDF files in Mac Preview. Launch Preview and load each of the PDFs that you intend to merge there. To view page thumbnails in the sidebar, select View > Thumbnails from the menu available in each document. You may add page thumbnails from one document to another by holding down the Command () key and selecting the thumbnails of the pages you wish to add to the other document.
However, the process of combining PDF files in Mac Preview is very complicated and beginners are confused about it. Why not switch to UPDF with the intuitive interface?
How do I merge things in Preview?
Here is how to merge PDF files in Preview:
- Launch Preview and open the two PDFs that you want to combine into one.
- You may access the sidebar drawer for each document by clicking the Sidebar button on the toolbar. You will be shown thumbnails of each page as you go through the PDF.
- Simply choose the page's thumbnail that you want to add to the target document, and then click on it. (To pick several pages, keep the Command key down while you click.)
- Simply pull the thumbnails of the selected page(s) over to the sidebar of the document you're working on.
How do I combine PDF images in Preview?
Here is how to combine images into PDF in Preview:
- Select the PDF images in Finder. To achieve this, drag a box over many picture files or pick them separately while holding Command.
- Right-click a highlighted file and select Open With -> Preview.
- Drag thumbnail photos into the desired order in Preview's sidebar. Preview's Rotate button changes page orientation.
- File -> Print... or Command+P opens the Print dialog in Preview.
- Click Show Details to view all Print choices. In Pages, choose All. Click the arrows below the print preview to check each image's alignment, then use the Orientation buttons to adjust any.
- Save as PDF from Print's PDF dropdown menu.
You will find that using Preview is very difficult and there are many steps you need to follow. However, UPDF offers a more straightforward method to help you combine images into a PDF.
Is it free to merge PDF in Preview?
Yes, it is free to merge PDF in Preview. However, Preview is a simple PDF software on Mac, and it doesn't offer advanced features. To do more tasks with PDF, you should use UPDF. It will give you a complete PDF solution to help you view, markup, edit, convert, protect, manage, and print PDFs.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you will find that UPDF is a much easier and more reliable PDF combiner for you. You can not only combine multiple PDF files on Mac, but you can also combine image files or other formats into a PDF with it. What's more? UPDF is a complete PDF solution and you can use it to edit, convert, organize, OCR, and protect PDF files easily. Try it for free now!
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