Generally, a PDF document doesn't need any further manipulation once it's consolidated, but more than once we've wondered how to join two PDFs to simplify their distribution. The good news is that we have two free options: one online that works directly in the browser, and another offline that requires slight manual intervention.
Merging PDF files is easy
At first glance it seems impossible, but don't be fooled: merging two PDFs is one of the simplest editing processes you can carry out, almost as easy as censoring text in a PDF. All you need is the right tool, and a little patience depending on the final size of the document. If the idea is to merge two PDFs with four or five pages, the job will be done in seconds. However, merging user manuals with hundreds of pages and diagrams usually takes longer, especially on modest systems. For that and other reasons, we recommend trying these two alternatives.
How to merge two PDFs: Two options
Smallpdf (online)
The online service Smallpdf has a free function to combine two PDF documents. The basic mode simply places one file after another, while its Pro version allows you to combine and/or manipulate individual pages. Once you specify the order, click on "Combine your PDFs!", view the result, and download a copy. We haven't detected any errors, formatting issues, or watermarks.
LibreOffice (offline)
If you're not comfortable with the idea of uploading your PDFs to a remote server, you can merge two PDFs using LibreOffice. The exact process is as follows:
- Open the first PDF with Writer, and it will be automatically exported to Draw.
- Open the second PDF, and it will be exported to a second Draw window.
- Select all the pages of the document that will be at the end, and press Ctrl+C.
- Go back to the document that will be at the beginning, select its last sheet, and press Ctrl+V.
- Go to File -> Export to, and choose Export to PDF.
- Save the file with a different name than the original.
The advantage of LibreOffice is that you can modify the number of pages to your liking. For example, if you only need three sheets from the first document and four from the second, Draw will allow you to inject and delete pages without a hitch. On the other hand, its weak point is the conversion process. Most likely you won't notice anything with basic text and graphics, but some advanced manuals may present visual details.
In summary
We hope any doubts about how to merge two PDFs have been resolved here. Personally, I would start with Smallpdf since it requires no registration or additional software, but if the PDFs to be merged have a certain confidential profile, I definitely recommend following the LibreOffice route. Good luck!
