How to Merge PDFs Like a Pro: Order, Bookmarks, and Clean Results
Published: 2026-02-16
Merging PDFs sounds simple—until the final file is out of order, unexpectedly huge, or missing key pages. This guide gives you a repeatable workflow for clean merges.
Start here: Merge PDF. Before merging, clean and optimize each input: Remove Pages, Compress PDF, and (for scans) Grayscale PDF.
Related reading: PDF File Size Reduction Checklist and Compress PDF Without Losing Quality.
Q&A
Usually before. Compressing each source PDF first helps keep the merged file smaller and more manageable.
Use a remove-pages tool on each PDF, then merge the cleaned files in your preferred order.
Blurriness is typically caused by aggressive image compression on scan/photo pages. Use more conservative compression or avoid converting text pages into images.
Only if you have permission and can unlock them first. After merging, you can protect the final PDF again if needed.
Skim the first page of each section, verify signatures and attachments, and confirm page orientation and order.