Step-by-Step Tutorial to Combine PDFs without Acrobat

In today's digital age, PDF files have become essential to our daily lives. We all deal with a lot of digital documents on a daily basis. We often find ourselves with multiple PDF files that we need to combine into a single document. However, not everyone can afford Adobe Acrobat, the go-to software for combining PDF files. While Adobe Acrobat is a well-known tool for this task, only some people want to pay for its subscription. Fortunately, several free and easy-to-use alternatives enable you to combine PDF without Acrobat. In this article, we'll explore some of the best options for combining PDFs without Acrobat. Whether you're a student, a professional, or just someone who needs to merge PDFs occasionally, this guide will help you find the right tool for your needs. So, let's dive in and explore the world of PDF merging!

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Reasons to Combine PDF without Acrobat

People choose to combine PDF files because it provides convenience and efficiency. One of the benefits of combining PDF files without using Acrobat is that it allows users to save time. It helps to eliminate the need to download additional software and reduces the risk of potential compatibility issues. Moreover, merging PDF files without Acrobat allows users to choose from various free alternative tools that suit their preferences. There are some cases when combining PDFs without Acrobat is a preferable option. The following cases to merge pdf files without Acrobat includes:

Limited Budget

Not everyone can afford to pay for a subscription to Adobe Acrobat. It requires a monthly and annual fee starting at $14.99. Its premium pricing may range up to $24. Combining PDF files without Acrobat is a cost-effective solution if you are on a limited budget.

Limited Storage Space

Some users may have limited storage space and prefer not to install additional software on the devices. Users can avoid taking up extra storage space on their devices by combining PDF files without Adobe Acrobat. It lessens the need to worry about the availability of sufficient storage for both the software and the merged PDF files.

Lack of Features Needed

Some users may find that they only require basic merging functionality and do not need the additional features offered by Adobe Acrobat. It would be unnecessary to pay for the full subscription if they need to combine PDF files occasionally.

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The Best Alternative for Combining PDFs without Acrobat

The best solution how to merge PDF documents without Acrobat is by using AcePDF. It is a leading PDF program for Windows and Mac computers with various PDF manipulation features. One of its key features is the ability to merge multiple PDF files into a single PDF document. It allows users to combine files of different formats, including PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This makes the tool an all-in-one solution for document management without the need for Adobe Acrobat. Merging PDF files using the tool doesn't have the limitation of the file size. It also supports batch processing of PDF files, allowing users to merge multiple files simultaneously. Furthermore, the tool offers a PDF OCR converter feature that can convert scanned PDFs into editable and searchable files. It can make merging and managing PDF documents much more efficient and convenient.

Step 1 Install the Acrobat the Acrobat Alternative

Click the "Download" buttons above to install AcePDF on your computer. When the wizard window appears, carefully follow its instructions to save the program safely. After installation, launch the tool and take some time to explore all of its features and functions.

Step 2 Import your PDF Files

Locate the " Batch Process " button on the left panel of the application and click on it. A new window will appear. Choose the "Merge" option and click on the folder icon in the middle to add your PDF files. Alternatively, you can simply drag-and-drop the file into the window for quick importation. Next, click the "+ Add file (s)" button at the bottom of the merge window to import additional PDF files. Repeat this process for each PDF file until all are included.

Step 3 Merge Your PDF Files

Once done, you can rearrange the order of the files by hovering your cursor over a file and dragging it to your desired position using the arrow icon. Finally, your desired position using the arrow icon. Finally, click the "Output folder" button at the bottom to select an output location. Click "merge" to initiate the process on how to combine PDFs without Acrobat. The tool will automatically process your files and save the final file in your selected folder.

Step 4 Review and Enhance Your File

Move to the specified folder, locate the file, and right-click on it. Afterward, pick "Edit with AcePDF" to view the file in the tool and wait until it appears. Verify that both examples have been merged into a single file. Navigate to the "Edit" tab in the program to modify and enhance your files as needed. Once you've completed your editing tasks, select the "File" button in the upper-left corner and select either the "Save" or "Save as" option to preserve the merged and edited file.

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Different Methods to Combine PDFs without Acrobat

Method 1. Merge PDF Files Online

One of the most popular online PDF merging tools is Smallpdf. This tool supports the ability to combine PDFs into one without Adobe Acrobat without compromising the quality and resolution of the documents. The tool has an intuitive drag-and-drop feature allowing users to add files to the merge list quickly. It is built to edit, compress and convert scanned PDF to text as well. The PDF software also offers various customization options, such as changing the order of the pages, deleting specific pages, and adding watermarks to the merged documents. Additionally, SmallPDF can merge multiple documents simultaneously, saving users time and effort. The advantage of the tool is that it can be accessed for free and does not require any download or installation of software. It makes it one of the best online tools to combine PDFs for users looking for a quick solution.

• Open SmallPDF in your web browser. Then, click on the "Merge PDF" option. Next, hit the "Choose files" button and select the PDF files to be merged from your local hard drive.
• Drag and drop the files to arrange their order. Hit the "Delete" button to delete the unwanted files. Then click the "Add more files" button to add PDF files to the merge process.
• Click the "Merge PDF" button to start the merging process. Wait for the PDFs to be merged. Depending on the size of the files, this may take a few minutes. Once the merging process is complete, click the "Download" button to save the merged PDF file to your local hard drive.

Method 2. Merge PDF File in PDF Editing Tool

SodaPDF is a reliable PDF editing tool that has a merge PDF function. With this feature, users can easily combine PDFs on Windows into one document. In addition to its merging capabilities, PDFSoda offers various other features that make it a versatile and user-friendly PDF editor. PDFSoda uses advanced algorithms to ensure the merged PDF files retain their original formatting and layout. It also offers various editing tools, such as adding, deleting, and modifying text, images, and pages. Furthermore, SodaPDF provides a secure and safe environment for users to edit and share their PDF files. Compared to Adobe Acrobat, SodaPDF is a cost-effective solution for small businesses and individual users who may not have the budget for Adobe Acrobat. SodaPDF provides similar features to Adobe Acrobat at a much lower cost, making it an accessible option for everyone.

• Open SodaPDF in your web browser. Click the "Merge PDF" button at the top of the screen. Select the PDF files you like to merge from your computer or cloud storage.
• Review the order of the selected PDF files. If necessary, arrange the order by dragging and dropping the files. Click the "Merge PDFs" button to start the merging process.
• Wait for the merging process to complete. Then, download the merged PDF file to your computer or cloud storage and verify that all pages are merged correctly.

Method 3. Merge PDF Files in a Command-line PDF Merging tool

VeryPDF is a highly efficient command-line PDF merging tool designed to make merging multiple PDF files into a single document as seamless as possible. This tool allows users to easily merge as many PDF files as they want without worrying about technicalities or complications. Apart from its PDF merging capabilities, VeryPDF has many other features that make it a must-have solution for anyone who works with PDF files. These features include the ability to split PDF files, extract pages from a PDF document, compress PDF files for easy sharing, and even change PDFs to other formats, including Word or Excel. One of the biggest advantages of VeryPDF over Adobe Acrobat is its simplicity and ease of use. Unlike Adobe Acrobat, which can be quite complicated to navigate for many users, VeryPDF is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. It makes it an ideal solution for both novice and experienced users.

• Launch the command prompt or "CMD" on your device and navigate to the directory where the VeryPDF merging tool is installed. Utilize the "cd" command followed by the file path.
• Once inside the directory, use the command "pdfpg.exe input1.pdf input2.pdf output.pdf" to merge the PDF files named "input1.pdf" and "input2.pdf" into a single file named "output.pdf. " Make sure to replace the file names with your own as necessary.
• If you have more than two PDF files to merge, repeat Step 2 for each additional file. Make sure to include the previously merged file as input files. After executing the command, the merged PDF file will be saved in the original directory as the input file. Verify the merged PDF file by opening it in any PDF viewer.

Method 4. Merge PDF Files in Mobile App

PDF Merge is a mobile app that lets users merge PDFs without Acrobat. In addition to its primary function, PDF Merge offers a variety of functional PDF tools that make it an excellent solution for managing PDF files on the go. Users can easily reorder pages within a document, add or remove pages, and even extract pages from a PDF file. The app also offers a preview mode, allowing users to see exactly how their document will look before finalizing the merge. Unlike Acrobat, which can be overwhelming for users unfamiliar with the software, PDF Merge is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. Additionally, PDF Merge is available as a convenient application for iOS and android devices, making it much more accessible for users who need to merge PDF files while on the go. The app also supports many formats, including PDF, JPG, PNG, and more. With that, PDF Merge is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a fast, simple, and reliable way on how to combine two PDF files without Adobe Acrobat on their mobile device.

• Launch the PDF Merge app and select the "Merge PDF" option from the home screen. Tap the "+" button to choose the PDF files to be merged. Drag-and-drop the files to arrange them in the desired order.
• Customize the output settings by selecting the page range, orientation, and paper size. You can also include a password to protect your merged PDF file. Tap "Merge" to start the merging process.
• Preview the merged PDF file and make sure it is correct. If everything is in order, tap "Save" to keep the merged PDF file on your computer. You can also share the merged PDF file via email, cloud storage, or other apps.

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Best Practices and Tips for Effective PDF Merging

Optimize PDF File Size Before Merging: Optimizing the PDF file size before merging is an effective best practice to ensure that the final merged document doesn't become too large to handle. This can be achieved by compressing or reducing the file size of the individual PDFs before merging. You can read more here to discover the best PDF compressor software you can use.

Maintain Document Quality and Formatting: Maintaining document quality and formatting is crucial when merging PDFs to ensure the final document looks professional and is easy to read. It's important to ensure that all fonts, images, and formatting are consistent throughout the document.

Ensure Document Security During Merging PDFs: Ensuring document security while merging PDFs is a key best practice to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. This can be achieved by using password protection, encryption, or other security features available in your PDF software. It is important to ensure that only authorized individuals can access the final merged document.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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