How to merge PDFs on iPhone

How to merge PDFs on iPhone with Scanfone

1. Get the files into Scanfone: scan paper, or import PDFs and photos from Files, Mail or Photos.
2. Open the merge PDFs tool.
3. Select the documents you want to combine.
4. Put them in the right order, then reorder or delete individual pages if needed.
5. Save the merged PDF and share it or save it to Files.

When merging PDFs helps

• A rental or job application that wants your ID, payslips and a signed form as one PDF.
• An expense claim with a stack of receipts.
• A multi-page contract where one page was scanned later.
• Upload forms that accept only a single file.
• Keeping a project's paperwork together in one document.

Merge PDFs step by step

1. Collect the parts in Scanfone. Scan paper with the camera, import PDFs from Files or Mail, or bring in photos from Photos.
2. Open merge PDFs and select the documents to combine.
3. Set the order. The first document you want on top goes first.
4. Fine-tune pages. Reorder individual pages, rotate a sideways one, or delete a duplicate.
5. Save. You now have one PDF with everything in the order you chose.
6. Share it. Send by Mail or Messages, upload it, print it or save it to Files.

Mixing photos and PDFs

Not everything starts as a PDF. Screenshots and photos can be turned into PDF pages with JPG to PDF, and then merged with the rest. Paper documents can be scanned straight in; see how to scan documents on iPhone.

Tips for a tidy merged PDF

• Put the most important document first. If a reader only opens page one, make it the signed form or the cover letter.
• Check that every page is the right way up. A sideways payslip in the middle of an application looks careless.
• Use the same filter for similar pages. Mixing a dark colour scan with a crisp black and white page works, but consistent pages are easier to read.
• Remove blank pages and duplicates before you share. It keeps the file smaller too.
• Make it searchable. Scans in Scanfone get on-device text recognition, so the merged PDF stays searchable. See how to make a PDF searchable.

What about the Files app?

iPhone's Files app can also turn a selection of files into a single PDF, which is fine for a quick one-off. Scanfone keeps the whole job in one place: scan the missing page, merge, reorder, sign and compress without hopping between apps, and keep the result in your folders where search finds it later.

Is the merged file too big?

Merging lots of colour scans can produce a hefty file, and many email services and upload forms have size limits. Run the merged PDF through compress PDF to shrink it. Our guide on how to compress a PDF on iPhone explains the trade-off between size and quality.

The reverse: split a PDF

Got one big PDF and only need pages 3 to 5? Use split PDF to pull pages out into their own file. Merge and split together cover most "I need these pages in that file" problems.

Finish the document

Before you send a merged application, you might want to sign the form, add page numbers so nobody loses track, or redact details the reader does not need. All of these are free in Scanfone.

Private and free

A lot of "merge PDF online" sites ask you to upload your documents to their servers, which is a lot to ask for a payslip and a passport copy. In Scanfone, merging happens on your iPhone and nothing is uploaded unless you turn on Pro sync. No ads, no account, and no paywall when you save the merged file.

Free PDFs get one small "Scanned free with Scanfone" line under each page. Scanfone Pro removes it and adds sync and 1 TB cloud backup for $2.99 the first year, then $19.99 a year. See pricing.

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