Extremely simple ways to merge PDF files on iPhone

Is it difficult to merge PDF files on iPhone? It’s really not as difficult as many people think. Below are detailed instructions on how to merge PDF files on your phone.

Combining PDF files is often the first step in any workflow. This lets you convert multiple individual documents into a single, neat PDF file that’s convenient for sharing, archiving, or sending for review. You’ll no longer have to send multiple emails just because there are too many files or the files are too large to send at once.

If you use an iPhone or iPad, you can rely on several built-in methods to merge two or more PDF files quickly. The article will tell you how to do it.

Ways to combine PDF files on iPhone

Use the Files app

Apple offers a feature-rich Files app on iPhone and iPad. People don’t need a dedicated third-party app to make small changes to their PDF files.

Step 1: Launch the application File and navigate to where the PDF file is stored.

Step 2: Tap the menu three dots at top right and press Select.

Step 3: Select PDF files want to merge and click three dot icon at the bottom right.

Step 4: Click Create PDF and the selected files merged together. Note that the Files app uses the same name as the first file. That means people need to rename to avoid confusion between files.

However, the Files app does not delete individual files initially, people can delete them from their iPhone or iPad to free up space.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Using keyboard shortcuts is another effective way to combine PDF files on iPhone. The above trick is time-consuming as it requires renaming the merged file and deleting the original file. With handy keyboard shortcuts, users can automate entire processes on iPhone with just one tap.

Step 1: Access the Merge PDFs shortcut and press it Add keyboard shortcuts to download.

Step 2: Open Setting on iPhone and scroll to Shortcuts.

Step 3: Select Advanced and enable all permissions from the next menu. This will allow shortcuts to integrate the functionality of merging PDF files with the system share sheet.

Step 4: Launch the application File and go to the folder containing the files you want to merge.

Step 5: Select the PDF file and click Share icon in the bottom left corner. Select Merge PDFs.

Step 6: Click on each file to select Choose the file merge sequence.

Step 7: Choose select destination folder and press the button Open when completed.

Step 8: People can delete or keep their original PDF files in the next menu. Once completed, the newly merged PDF file will appear in the originally selected destination folder.

How to merge PDF files on iPad using Adobe Acrobat

Before you begin, make sure you know where your files are stored so you can gather them on your iPad.

1. Open the Adobe Acrobat online service from any browser.
2. Click “Select files,” then navigate to the location where the PDF files you want to merge are saved to add them to the list.
3. If you have any PDF files stored on the cloud service, you can add them as well.
4. Once you have all the documents, click “Merge”. Acrobat will combine them into a single file.
5. Download the file to your device. If you have an Adobe Document Cloud account, you can also select “Sign in”. This allows you to reorder, add or delete PDF pages. You can also share this file with others.

Paid third-party PDF solutions, such as PDF Expert and Smallpdf, offer additional options such as rearranging or deleting individual pages before combining documents. But for most cases, using the Files app’s built-in features is all you really need.

If you’re looking for more options, switching to the Shortcuts app offers a flexible and free alternative, so you still don’t need to pay for a third-party app.