How do I make sure the combined PDF has my files in the right order?

After adding your files in the 'Combine files' tool, you will see small pictures (thumbnails) of each file. Click and drag these thumbnails to change their position. Put them in the order you want. The tool combines them from the top of the list to the bottom.

Draft Bundling Loses Figures in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

DBecome — “help me grow”We keep losing images and footnotes when we circulate chapter drafts. I’ve got time to change…+

We keep losing images and footnotes when we circulate chapter drafts. I’ve got time to change the system and want an approach that prevents future breakage without imposing heavy bureaucracy on collaborators. Show the pattern in how files are currently shared, recommend one lightweight standard workflow for bundling drafts, images, and bibliographies, and give the subject line and folder structure I should pilot with the team this term.

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

After adding your files in the 'Combine files' tool, you will see small pictures (thumbnails) of each file.
Click and drag these thumbnails to change their position.
Put them in the order you want. The tool combines them from the top of the list to the bottom.

Keeping 'Preserve Bookmarks' on is important for easy navigation in your new PDF. If your original files had bookmarks, this setting makes sure they are carried over. This means each source file will become a top-level bookmark in the combined PDF. You can then quickly jump to different sections of your long document.

No, if your source files already have printed page numbers, these will restart for each new file you combine. For example, if File A ends on page 10 and File B starts with page 1, the combined PDF will show page 10 from File A, then page 1 from File B. To get continuous page numbers, you need to add new page numbers to the combined PDF after you merge it.

Combining files rarely makes the file size smaller because it's adding content, not removing it. Each file brings its own data, fonts, and images. The tool focuses on putting them together. If you want a smaller file, you should compress the PDF *after* you have combined all the files. This will reduce the overall size of the new document.

In Adobe Acrobat, 'combining files' and 'merging files' refer to the same action. Both terms mean taking multiple separate documents or files and putting them together into one single PDF document. There is no functional difference between these two words when using Acrobat.

Draft Bundling Loses Figures

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