When combining pdf files into one document using the Finder, it is often important to be able to set the order that each pdf will appear in the combined document. I've looked at this document showing how to create the unified document. https://www.unlockboot.com/combine-pdf-files-mac/
But I need further advice on how to set the order of the pdf's you are combining into one larger pdf file?
HomePod, 18
Using the ⌘ key, select the PDFs in the order you want them combined. Then right-click on the first selected PDF and from the Finder secondary menu, choose Quick Actions -> Create PDF. This will combine them and the resulting filename will be the name of the first PDF with a 1 appended to the filename. Confirm with Quick Look and then rename as appropriate.
All PDFs in the first paragraph should be in one Finder location for simplified selection.
Using the ⌘ key, select the PDFs in the order you want them combined. Then right-click on the first selected PDF and from the Finder secondary menu, choose Quick Actions -> Create PDF. This will combine them and the resulting filename will be the name of the first PDF with a 1 appended to the filename. Confirm with Quick Look and then rename as appropriate.
All PDFs in the first paragraph should be in one Finder location for simplified selection.
In Preview, open one of the files, or the already merged file, then you can select View => Thumbnails.
This should show small thumbnails of each page in the pdf file on the left side.
If this is the merged file, you can reorder pages by dragging them in the left thumbnail column.
If this is before merging the pdf files, you can select pdf files in the Finder and drag them into the location you want among the thumbnails.
Preview of course is free. Adobe Acrobat (full paid version) can do this more straightforwardly. Other lower cost tools like PDF Expert can also do this.
That's it!! Thanks so much. Useful even after the fact to rearrange an already combined PDF Doc. Come to think of it, I see it works on any multipage pdf document, even one that was scanned alone as one coherent document. Perfect.
Thanks Steve626
Steve
(Even thanking the Great Steve for insisting from the start on Apple user friendliness and simplicity)
+1
Viking, this is a great backup method. Thanks for posting
Steve
You are welcome.
Thanks for the this helpful answer. It works perfectly!
combining pdf files into one document using Mac software
