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Organize your source files into separate folders, with each folder containing the files you want to combine into a single PDF.
Best practiceNaming folders and files consistently will help you keep track of your batches and reduce errors.
Open Adobe Acrobat.
For the first folder, go to the File menu, select Create, then choose Combine Files.
In the Combine Files dialog, click Add Files and select Add Folder.
NoteThis allows you to add all files from the selected folder at once.
Browse to the first folder and select it, then confirm to add all its files.
Arrange the files in the desired order using the interface controls.
Best practiceYou can drag and drop files to reorder them before combining.
Click Combine to merge the files into a single PDF.
Save the combined PDF with a unique name that matches the folder or batch.
Best practiceUse a consistent naming scheme (e.g., Folder1_Combined.pdf) for easy identification.
Repeat steps 3–8 for each remaining folder or set of files you want to batch combine.
Best practiceIf you have many folders, consider scripting or using third-party automation tools, as Acrobat does not natively batch multiple folders at once.
You can add an entire folder of files at once when combining, which speeds up batch processing.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
The 'Preserve Bookmarks' option keeps the names of your original files as bookmarks in the new combined PDF. This is important because it creates a table of contents, making it easy to navigate through the long combined document and find each original file's section quickly.
If your original files already had page numbers, combining them will likely result in page numbers that restart with each new file. To fix this, you should add continuous page numbers to the combined PDF after it is created. Acrobat has tools to add new page numbers across the entire document, overriding the old ones and making the numbering consistent.
Combining PDF files rarely shrinks the overall size. This is because Acrobat needs to include all the data from each original file, even if some parts are similar. If your combined PDF is too large, you should compress it after the combining process. Compression tools in Acrobat can help reduce the file size without losing too much quality, making it easier to share or store.
| Feature | With Preserving Bookmarks | Without Preserving Bookmarks |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | Easy to jump to each original file's section using named bookmarks. | You have to scroll through the entire document to find sections. |
| Structure | The combined PDF has a clear, navigable outline based on original file names. | The combined PDF is a single, flat document without internal links to original parts. |
| Use Case | Best for long documents like reports or legal packets where you need to find specific sections quickly. | Okay for short documents or when the order of pages is more important than finding original file breaks. |