Many applications allow only one PDF upload, while your documents are spread across several files and photos. Combining them correctly, in the right order and under the size limit, saves you from rejected uploads. This guide walks through a reliable way to do it.
Step 1: Know what the form wants
Check the instructions for the number of files, the order of documents, the maximum size and any page limit. Some forms want one merged PDF, others want separate files for each document. If the order is not stated, a sensible order is the application form or ID first, then certificates, then mark sheets.
Step 2: Turn photos into PDFs
If your documents are photos or scans saved as images, turn them into a PDF first. The images to PDF tool puts each photo on its own A4 page, keeps its shape and lets you change the order. Take each photo straight from above, with all four corners visible and no shadows.
Step 3: Merge the PDFs
Add your PDFs to the PDF merge tool. The files are joined in the order shown, and you can move a file up or down before merging. Press merge and download the result. Your original files are not changed, so you can try again if the order is wrong.
Step 4: Keep only the pages you need
If a scan has extra or blank pages, use the PDF page extractor. Type the pages you want to keep, for example 1-3, 5, and download a new PDF. Doing this before merging keeps the final file smaller.
Step 5: Reduce the size if needed
If the merged file is above the limit, use the PDF compressor. Choose the Recommended level first. Note that this option turns pages into images, so the text can no longer be selected or searched, which is fine for scanned documents. If you need to keep selectable text, use the Light Clean-up option instead, although it usually saves less.
Step 6: Check the final file
- Open the PDF and scroll through every page.
- Confirm the order, that no page is upside down, and that the text and numbers are readable.
- Check the file size against the limit.
- Use a short file name without spaces or symbols, such as documents.pdf.
Common problems
- A password-protected PDF will not merge. Remove the password first, then add it again.
- The merged file is too big. Extract only needed pages, scan at a lower resolution, or compress.
- The scan is unreadable after compressing. Use a higher quality level, or rescan in better light.
- The page order is wrong. Use the arrows in the merge tool and merge again.
All three tools run in your browser, so your documents are not uploaded to our servers. For very large files, an older phone may be slow, so merge in smaller groups if the page stops responding.