Many applications ask for “one PDF file”: a CV with a cover letter, a set of scanned certificates, or all the pages of a contract. Merging PDFs takes less than a minute when you know the steps.
Before you start: name your files
Rename your files with a number at the start — 01-cover-letter.pdf, 02-cv.pdf, 03-diploma.pdf. When you select them all at once, they are usually added in that order, which saves reordering later.
How to merge PDFs with PDFly
- Open Merge PDF.
- Click Choose files and select two or more PDFs, or drag them into the box.
- Check the order in the list. Use the ▲ and ▼ arrows to move a file up or down.
- Press Merge PDFs and download merged.pdf.
The pages are copied without re-compression: fonts, links and images stay exactly as they were.
Common questions
Can I merge images and PDFs together?
Convert the images first with Image to PDF, then merge the resulting PDF with your other files.
The pages inside one file are in the wrong order
After merging, use Reorder pages to drag individual pages to the right position.
The merged file is too big
Run it through Compress PDF. Scans usually shrink dramatically with Medium compression.
One file is password-protected
Protected PDFs cannot be merged directly. Open it with its password in your PDF reader, choose Print → Save as PDF to create an unprotected copy, and merge that copy.
Good practice for official applications
- Put documents in the order listed by the organisation.
- Make sure every page is upright — fix sideways scans with Rotate PDF.
- Add page numbers to long files so reviewers can refer to them.
- Give the final file a clear name, such as Lastname_Firstname_Application.pdf.