Choosing the Best PDF Merger for Mac: A Complete Guide

Knowing how to merge PDFs is a handy skill for anyone involved with document management. In this guide, we’ll highlight the best PDF merger tools available for Mac, ensuring you can efficiently combine files and optimize your workflow. Read on to discover how these tools can streamline your approach to document handling.

Part 1. 3 Best PDF Mergers for Mac: Efficient and Easy Merging

Finding the right PDF merger can significantly enhance your productivity on a Mac. This section reviews three top PDF merging tools—UPDF, Mac Preview, and Adobe Acrobat for Mac—each offering unique features for efficiently combining multiple PDF files into one streamlined document. Let’s delve into their capabilities and user benefits.

1. UPDF

UPDF stands out as a comprehensive PDF editor for Mac, specifically designed to make merging multiple PDF files a smooth and efficient process. This software not only merges PDFs but also offers extensive editing capabilities. What is more, it supports batch processing PDFs, including merging more than 100 PDF files into one. Here’s how to use UPDF for merging PDFs:

Step 1. Open UPDF and navigate to the Batch Combine section.

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You can add PDFs by:

• Dragging and Dropping: Drag files directly from folders into UPDF.
• Adding from Folders: Click the “Add Files” button, then select files or folders from your Mac.
• Adding Opened Files: Automatically include files already open in UPDF.
• Adding Folders: Include entire folders containing PDFs or image files.

Step 2. Arrange the documents in your preferred order by dragging them within the platform.

Step 3. To remove a file, hover over it and click the “three-dots” icon, then choose

Step 4. To clear all files, use the “Clear List” button.

Step 5. Click “Apply” to merge the files, then save the new PDF to your preferred location on your Mac.

Pros:

• Can merge PDFs and images into one PDF.
• Users can adjust the page order when merging PDFs.
• Supports merging more than 100 PDFs into one within seconds.
• Offers PDF splitting features as well.
• Provides additional PDF managing tools, including editing, annotating, converting, AI chatting, and more.

Cons:

• Requires creating an account and installing the UPDF application, which might be a drawback for users looking for a quick, no-install solution.

As a comprehensive tool, UPDF facilitates not just merging but also secure and advanced editing of PDF files, catering to a wide range of professional needs.

• Mac Preview:

Mac Preview is a native application on macOS that not only allows users to view and edit images but also to manage PDF files effectively. It includes straightforward features for merging PDFs. Here’s how you can use Mac Preview to combine PDF documents:

1. Open PDFs: Launch Preview and open all PDFs you wish to merge.
2. View Thumbnails: In each PDF, go to View > Thumbnails to show page thumbnails in the sidebar.
3. Merge PDFs: Drag thumbnails from one PDF’s sidebar to another’s to add pages. Use Command-click to select multiple nonadjacent thumbnails.
4. Reorder Pages: Arrange the pages by dragging the thumbnails to the desired position within the document.

Pros:

• Conveniently integrated into macOS, requiring no additional software installation.
• Simple and intuitive interface for quick merging and reordering of PDF pages.

Cons:

• Lacks some of the more advanced features found in dedicated PDF editors.
• Functionality can be limited compared to specialized software, especially in handling large files or complex editing tasks.

Mac Preview offers a basic, accessible solution for users looking to merge PDFs without the need for additional downloads or applications.

• Adobe Acrobat for Mac

Adobe Acrobat for Mac is an advanced tool for managing PDF files, offering extensive features for editing, creating, and merging PDFs. Here’s how to use Adobe Acrobat to merge PDFs on a Mac:

1. Open PDFs in Acrobat: Start by opening the initial PDF file in Adobe Acrobat. If it doesn’t automatically open in Acrobat, right-click the PDF, click “Open With,” and choose Adobe Acrobat.
2. Select Thumbnails View: To view the thumbnail sidebar, go to View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes > Thumbnails.
3. Add In PDF Files: In the Thumbnails sidebar, click on the page after which you want the new PDF to be inserted.
4. Insert PDF File: Navigate to “Insert” from the right-hand tools menu, select “From File,” and choose the PDF you want to merge. This will insert the selected PDF into the opened document.
5. Save the Merged PDF: After merging, go to File > Save As, and choose the location and file name for the new merged PDF.

Pros:

• Provides advanced editing and merging capabilities.
• Features like batch processing and security options enhance document management.

Cons:

• More complex than basic PDF tools, which might be challenging for new users.
• Requires a subscription for full functionality.

Adobe Acrobat for Mac is ideal for users needing professional-level PDF editing and merging capabilities, offering precision and control over the document layout and security settings.

Part 2. Bonus Tip: How to Separate/Split a Multi-page PDF into Several PDFs

Now that we’ve discussed how to successfully merge PDFs, you might find yourself in a situation where you need to separate or split them. Here’s how you can do this using UPDF as an example:

1. Launch UPDF: Open UPDF on your Mac.
2. Open Your File: Click “Open File” and upload your document.
3. Access Page Organization Tools: Click on “Organize Pages” in the left side toolbar to view all pages.
4. Choose Split Settings: In the top menu, find and select the ‘Split’ option. You’ll be presented with choices to split by Number of Pages, Size, or Top-Level Bookmark. You can also select how many pages you’d like to split into.

• Execute the Split: Once you’ve set your preferences, click ‘Split’ to separate the PDF.

This process is straightforward and can be quickly done with just a few clicks, making it easy to manage and reorganize your PDF files efficiently.

Conclusion

As we’ve explored, merging PDFs on a Mac can greatly enhance your productivity. Tools like UPDF offer intuitive solutions for combining documents seamlessly. For those seeking simplicity and efficiency in their PDF management, experimenting with any of these applications could further optimize your document handling tasks.