How do I combine PDF files without losing the names of the original documents inside the new PDF?

When using Combine Files, make sure the 'Preserve Bookmarks' option is selected. This feature automatically turns the names of your original files into bookmarks. These bookmarks appear in the navigation panel of your new combined PDF, making it easy to find each section.

If my Adobe Acrobat 'Combine Files' process never finishes, what should I do?

First, try saving each of your source files again using 'Save As'. This can refresh their internal structure. If that doesn't work, try adding your files to the 'Combine Files' window one by one instead of all at once. As a last step, go to 'Help' in Acrobat's menu and select 'Repair Installation'. This can fix common software issues.

How is the order of files determined when using 'Combine Files', and can I change it?

When you add files to the 'Combine Files' tool, they appear as small pictures called thumbnails. The files are merged from the top of the list to the bottom. Yes, you can easily change the order. Just click and drag the thumbnails to move them into the position you want before you click 'Combine'.

Assemble Consent Batch in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Assemble the batch of client consent forms for the [event=July authorization] and send them to…+

Assemble the batch of client consent forms for the [event=July authorization] and send them to supervisors [supervisor=Laura Chen] and [supervisor=Mark Rivera] for signature using the bulk send process so authorizations can be approved this week.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open Adobe Acrobat.
2
Go to File > Combine Files.
3
Click Add Files and select the PDF files you want to merge.
4
Arrange the files in your desired order by dragging and dropping them within the list.
5
Click Combine to merge the selected files into a single PDF document.
6
Save the new combined PDF to your preferred location.

In the appWith the API

You can preview and reorder files before combining to ensure the final PDF is in the correct sequence.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Combine FilesAn Acrobat feature that puts multiple documents or images into a single PDF.ExampleYou use this Acrobat feature to gather several reports and images into one PDF.

ThumbnailA small picture that shows what a page or file looks like.ExampleClicking on the thumbnail of page 5 quickly displays the full content of that page.

BookmarkA link in a PDF that helps you jump to a specific part of the document.ExampleClicking the 'Exhibit A' bookmark takes you directly to the relevant court document.

Who does this

3 roles

Office AdministratorLegal AssistantAcademic Coordinator

FAQ

about this task

When using Combine Files, make sure the 'Preserve Bookmarks' option is selected.
This feature automatically turns the names of your original files into bookmarks.
These bookmarks appear in the navigation panel of your new combined PDF, making it easy to find each section.

The 'Combine Files' feature lets you take many different types of documents, like Word files, images, or other PDFs, and merge them into one single PDF. This is useful because it creates one easy-to-share document from many sources. It helps you keep related information together and simplifies sending or storing multiple files.

First, try saving each of your source files again using 'Save As'. This can refresh their internal structure.
If that doesn't work, try adding your files to the 'Combine Files' window one by one instead of all at once.
As a last step, go to 'Help' in Acrobat's menu and select 'Repair Installation'. This can fix common software issues.

Combining files rarely makes them smaller because Acrobat adds all the content from each original file into the new PDF. It doesn't compress the content during the merge. If you need a smaller file, you should combine your documents first, and then use Acrobat's 'Optimize PDF' or 'Compress PDF' feature after the merge is complete. This separate step will help reduce the file size.

When you add files to the 'Combine Files' tool, they appear as small pictures called thumbnails.
The files are merged from the top of the list to the bottom.
Yes, you can easily change the order. Just click and drag the thumbnails to move them into the position you want before you click 'Combine'.

Assemble Consent Batch

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Video

Other guides

When it fails