How to Combine PDF Files Without Acrobat [Top Ways]

Many times, you need to put multiple PDF files together into one document. You might have different pages of a report or multiple separately saved assignments that need compilation. Yet, most PDF viewers don’t let you combine files, which makes it hard to organize your documents. This happens because these files are designed to keep their content and layout unchanged, and basic viewers can’t edit them.

People think they need expensive programs to merge them, but that’s not always true. So, this article will show how to combine PDF files without Acrobat to help you easily manage your documents. Additionally, you will learn about its limitations and how you can use alternative software to combine your files without any trouble.

Part 1. What Are the Limitations of Using Adobe Acrobat?

While combining PDF files is an important requirement, depending completely on one software may be difficult at times. Understanding these given limitations can help users explore how to merge PDF files without Acrobat:

Part 2.Best Tools to Combine PDFs without Adobe Acrobat

Now that you are aware of its limitations, it's important to learn alternative solutions on how to combine PDF files without Adobe.

1. PDFelement

This powerful tool tops the list, as it allows combining PDFs without Adobe and lets you preview the documents before saving. PDFelement allows you to edit text and images directly within your document so you can update the information. Additionally, it enables users to add comments and notes to their files in case multiple people are working together. To keep your information safe, you can set passwords and permissions on files.

Key Features

1. With this tool, you can split or rotate PDF pages so they are according to your needs.
2. You can compress your files to adjust to storage issues and for sharing purposes.
3. Its AI tools enable you to check grammar and translate the PDF into your desired language.

Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Combine PDFs with PDFelement

Step 1. Once you have downloaded the program on your local system, start it and click “All Tools” in the top right corner of the screen.

Step 2. On the next window, choose the “Combine Files” tool to continue with the procedure.

Step 3. After that, you need to select “Add Files” to choose the documents that you are going to combine.

Step 4. Once you have imported the PDF files from your desktop, click on “Apply” to start the process.

Step 5. As the PDF files are combined, you will be able to preview how they look together and export the merged document using the “Save” icon.

2. PDFgear

Another tool that lets you combine PDF without Adobe is PDFgear. Since it does not have a size limit, you can use it for huge files as well. As a comprehensive PDF management software, it is available for Web, Windows, Mac, and mobile devices. The software also lets you convert files between PDF and other various formats. Additionally, its OCR technology can convert scanned PDFs into editable formats.

Key Features

1. The advanced AI technology allows you to summarize lengthy PDF documents and extract key points.
2. It lets you annotate your text, insert shapes, and draw on the files.
3. There is no restriction on the number of files, so you can merge as many files without any corruption.

3. PDFsam

Other than the tools mentioned above, you can also try PDFsam to combine PDF without Acrobat or split multiple files. This solution allows you to rotate pages to the correct arrangement and extract specific pages you need. Its extensive support for multiple operating systems like Windows and macOS makes it a dependable choice for users. You can also merge or rename Acro Forms when combining PDF files to avoid conflicts.

Key Features

1. This tool provides a dedicated table of contents feature when you generate a new PDF document.
2. You can secure your PDF files by applying encryption and setting specific permissions.
3. With the tool, you are able to create fillable forms by using pre-designed templates that allow you to input information directly.

4. PDFescape Editor

One more effective tool to combine PDFs without Adobe that simplifies merging multiple files into a single document is PDFescape Editor for Windows. The software allows custom arrangement of files before merging to ensure the final document meets specific needs. Its compatibility with the latest and earlier versions of Windows makes it cater to a broad user base. Additionally, it offers features like editing text and images and annotating documents.

Key Features

1. Keep your files safe and identifiable by adding custom watermarks that reflect your identity.
2. It allows you to sign documents electronically and add certificate-based signatures for official use.
3. Another essential feature is redacting sensitive content by erasing text and images to ensure privacy and compliance.

5. ABBYY FineReader PDF

The last tool on the list for answering "How do I combine PDF files without Adobe?” is ABBYY FineReader PDF. Users can combine files directly through File Explorer by selecting and right-clicking the desired PDFs and choosing Combine into one PDF. Alternatively, within the FineReader application, you can arrange files in the preferred order and merge them while retaining the original properties.

Key Features

1. This tool allows 190+ languages in all combinations, out of which 50+ languages have dictionary support.
2. Its Compare Documents feature allows you to spot differences between two versions of a document.
3. It enables you to add digital signatures to your PDF documents to ensure their originality and integrity.

Pro Tip. How to Repair Corrupt or Damaged PDF Files of Any Version

The tools that are discussed above are great for combining PDFs without Adobe, but files may get damaged during the process. Repairit can solve this problem as it works on over nineteen different file formats. It ensures that all elements within a PDF, such as text, images, and hyperlinks, are fully restored to preserve the document's integrity and original structure.

Repairit effectively fixes all PDF issues, including blank pages, files not opening, and image problems, ensuring complete recovery of your documents. It can repair garbled files where the stored information is either unclear or has become distorted. The tool is also compatible with all the versions of the PDF, such as 1.2, 1.3, and up to 1.7.

Key Features

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• ZIP Repair: With this amazing tool, you can easily repair your archived files and decompress them to their original sizes.

• Large Size Files: The tool allows you to repair files of size more than 1GB, so you can repair all size files easily.

• Batch Repair: When you need to repair multiple PDF documents simultaneously, you can do this by the tool.

Detailed Guide on How to Repair Corrupt or Damaged PDF Files via Repairit

After learning how to combine PDF without Acrobat and the key features of this amazing tool, let’s see how to use it:

Step 1. Open the program on your desktop, access the “More Types Repair" box, and select the "File Repair” option.

Step 2. Add the damaged PDF files

Step 3. Once you have imported the files, click the “Repair” button to start the fixing process. After the files are repaired, you can click "Preview" to look at them and then "Save” them.

Conclusion

To conclude, combining PDF files can be troublesome if you depend completely on Adobe Acrobat. With its high cost and limited free features, users look for replacements. So, how to combine PDF files without Acrobat? The answer lies in using reliable tools like PDFelement, PDFgear, and PDFsam that offer merging files with great features. With these tools, you can save time and money and manage your documents.

Moreover, if your merged PDFs get corrupted, Repairit is an efficient solution with powerful file repair features. Whether your PDF files are damaged during merging or due to other issues, Repairit ensures complete repair while maintaining quality and content.