How to Merge PDFs on Mac — 3 Free Methods
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Use PDF Mate's Merge PDF tool directly in your browser.
Method 1: Preview (Built Into macOS)
Preview is macOS's free built-in PDF reader and it can merge PDFs without any third-party software:
- Open the first PDF in Preview.
- Go to View → Thumbnails to show the sidebar.
- Drag the second PDF file from Finder directly into the thumbnail sidebar at the position where you want it inserted.
- Repeat for any additional files.
- Go to File → Export as PDF to save the merged document.
Important: use Export as PDF, not just Save — otherwise you overwrite the first file instead of creating a new merged one.
Method 2: Finder Quick Actions
macOS Ventura and later include a Quick Action for creating PDFs. Select multiple PDF files in Finder (hold ⌘ to select several), right-click, and look for Quick Actions → Create PDF. This merges the selected files in filename alphabetical order. Fast, but no control over page order.
Method 3: Browser-Based Tool (Any Mac)
Open pdfmate.io/tools/merge in Safari or Chrome. Upload your PDFs, drag them into the order you want, and merge. This works on any Mac regardless of macOS version and gives you full control over the page order before merging.
Which Method Is Best?
For occasional merging with files already on your Mac, Preview is the fastest. For precise control over page order or for merging more than 2–3 files, the browser-based tool is more reliable and easier to use.