How to Combine PDF Files on Windows 10 and 11 (Free Methods)

Does Windows Have a Built-In PDF Merger?

No. Unlike Mac (which has Preview), Windows 10 and 11 have no built-in tool for merging PDF files. Microsoft Print to PDF can create PDFs but cannot combine them.

Here are the best free options.

Method 1: Online Tool (Easiest)

The fastest method requires no software:

1. Open Breklo's Merge PDF tool in any browser

2. Drag and drop your PDF files

3. Reorder them if needed

4. Click Merge PDFs

5. Download the combined PDF

Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or any modern browser. No signup, no install.

Method 2: Microsoft Edge (Built into Windows)

Edge can print PDFs, which you can use to combine pages:

1. Open the first PDF in Edge

2. Press Ctrl+P to open print

3. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer

4. Print all pages — this creates a new PDF

This only works one file at a time, so you would need to merge manually. It is not practical for combining multiple PDFs.

Method 3: PowerShell (For Advanced Users)

Windows PowerShell can merge PDFs if you install the PDFsharp library, but this requires coding knowledge and is not practical for most users.

Method 4: Microsoft Word (If You Have Office)

If you have Microsoft Word:

1. Open Word

2. Insert → Object → Text from File

3. Select your PDF files one by one

4. Word converts each to a Word document

5. Save as PDF

Quality varies — formatting often breaks, especially for complex PDFs.

The Recommended Method

For most Windows users, the online tool is the best option. It is free, requires no installation, works in any browser, and handles all file sizes without the formatting issues that Word introduces.

After merging, if the combined PDF is large, compress it to reduce the file size before sharing.

Try these free tools

Frequently asked questions