How do I combine different types of files into one PDF using Combine Files?

Start by selecting 'Combine files' in Acrobat. Click 'Add files' and choose your documents. You can mix Word, Excel, images, and existing PDFs. Arrange the files by dragging their thumbnails into the order you want. Click 'Combine' to create your new PDF. Acrobat will convert all chosen files into pages within the new PDF.

What is the difference between combining files and compressing a PDF?

Feature Purpose Effect on File Size. Combine Files To gather multiple documents (of various types) into a single PDF. Rarely shrinks size; often increases it as more content is added. Compress PDF To reduce the file size of an existing PDF, often by lowering image quality or removing extra data. Always aims to shrink the file size, making it smaller and faster to share.

Escalation De-Escalation Packet in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

CDecide — “help me choose”We denied coverage for a warranty claim based on policy exclusions and the customer keeps…+

We denied coverage for a warranty claim based on policy exclusions and the customer keeps calling. I'm new and nervous that my wording will sound dismissive. Help me assemble a rebuttal packet that cites the exact policy terms, the claim history that matters, and one empathetic paragraph to lead with so the customer reads the reasons but still feels heard. Include the sentence to offer the next step if they disagree.

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

Start by selecting 'Combine files' in Acrobat.
Click 'Add files' and choose your documents. You can mix Word, Excel, images, and existing PDFs.
Arrange the files by dragging their thumbnails into the order you want.
Click 'Combine' to create your new PDF. Acrobat will convert all chosen files into pages within the new PDF.

PDF bookmarks are like a table of contents that helps you navigate a long document. When you combine files, keeping 'Preserve Bookmarks' on means each original file becomes a top-level bookmark. This makes your new combined PDF much easier to use, allowing you to quickly jump to any of the original sections.

No, if your original files already have page numbers, they will likely restart with each new document after combining. Acrobat does not automatically make them continuous. You will need to add new, continuous page numbers to the combined PDF after it is created to have a single numbering sequence.

This issue can happen if the original files have corrupted internal structures. Acrobat might struggle to process them correctly, leading to the first file being repeated. To fix this, try re-saving each source file using 'Save As' to refresh its structure. Adding files one by one can also help Acrobat process them more smoothly.

Feature	Purpose	Effect on File Size
Combine Files	To gather multiple documents (of various types) into a single PDF.	Rarely shrinks size; often increases it as more content is added.
Compress PDF	To reduce the file size of an existing PDF, often by lowering image quality or removing extra data.	Always aims to shrink the file size, making it smaller and faster to share.

Escalation De-Escalation Packet

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