Safe way to merge two PDF files

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on safe methods to merge two PDF files, particularly after encountering issues with a Canon all-in-one printer. Users recommend using pdfsam, a free and open-source tool for Windows and Linux, which has proven reliable for years. Additionally, online tools like iLovePDF and CombinePDF are suggested for less sensitive documents, while caution is advised against using Smallpdf due to file corruption issues. For users concerned about security, PDFWRENCH is highlighted as a free, offline alternative.

PREREQUISITES
  • Basic understanding of PDF file formats
  • Familiarity with Windows and Linux operating systems
  • Knowledge of downloading and installing software
  • Awareness of online security practices when handling sensitive documents
NEXT STEPS
  • Research how to use pdfsam for merging PDFs
  • Explore the features of iLovePDF for online PDF manipulation
  • Investigate PDFWRENCH for offline PDF merging solutions
  • Learn about the security implications of using online PDF tools
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for individuals needing to merge PDF documents securely, including office workers, students, and anyone handling sensitive information in PDF format.

yungman
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Hi
I need to merge two big pdf files together, as usual when I tried to scan a stack of papers into pdf files, my "beloved" Canon all-in-one determined to make it more interesting for me and jammed a few pages before completing the job. Now I have two files that I want to combine into one complete file. I look online, there are a lot of pdf combiner, I want to get a suggestion which one is safe to use.

I don't want to run it through again, it is about 90 pages and very important Notarized document, I cannot afford to ruin the document. I took the big chance to run it through once and survived, I don't want to push my luck with my beloved Canon.

Word of advice, do NOT buy Canon all-in-one printers, I've gone through 5 of them in 3 years. Absolutely unreliable and the stupidest thing is you cannot change ink cartridge unless it's empty. If you have a defect cartridge, that's the end of your printer unless you take it apart to take the cartridge out. Canon had to ship me a new one because of that.

Another way is to download the trial version of Adobe.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
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On Windows I use pdfsam (pdf split and merge), which is free and open source.
https://pdfsam.org/
I have used it for years and found it very satisfactory.

On my non-work computers, on which I run Linux OS, I use built-in Linux utilities that can do this and many other useful pdf operations. If you have access to a Linux computer, you can find the utilities to use by internet-searching something like 'linux pdf merge'.
 
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The full Acrobat does this. Works fine for me.
 
andrewkirk said:
On Windows I use pdfsam (pdf split and merge), which is free and open source.
https://pdfsam.org/
I have used it for years and found it very satisfactory.

On my non-work computers, on which I run Linux OS, I use built-in Linux utilities that can do this and many other useful pdf operations. If you have access to a Linux computer, you can find the utilities to use by internet-searching something like 'linux pdf merge'.
Thanks for the reply. I downloaded and ran installation. I don't know how to use it at all. I looked at the installed programs, there is a PRTG folder, inside, there are
1)Get PRTG desktop
2)PRTG Administration tool
3) PRTG Network Monitor
4)PRTG Network Monitor on web
5) Uninstall.

There's no program to run. It did downloaded over 200M of files and I installed it.

Thanks
 
yungman said:
I look online, there are a lot of pdf combiner, I want to get a suggestion which one is safe to use.
Depends on the contents of the pdf files. If they are bank statements, govt. identity card scans or something that needs to be handled securely, you shouldn't be using any online tool. Otherwise you can use https://www.ilovepdf.com/merge_pdf or https://combinepdf.com/ I have used both of them in the past and they work properly, and the file you download doesn't have virus/malware.

Don't use https://smallpdf.com/merge-pdf because it often results in corrupted files which cannot be opened.
 
yungman said:
Thanks for the reply. I downloaded and ran installation. I don't know how to use it at all. I looked at the installed programs, there is a PRTG folder, inside, there are
1)Get PRTG desktop
2)PRTG Administration tool
3) PRTG Network Monitor
4)PRTG Network Monitor on web
5) Uninstall.

There's no program to run. It did downloaded over 200M of files and I installed it.

Thanks
Perhaps you inadvertently downloaded the wrong thing. Unfortunately, free software sites often contain buttons to download other software, positioned so it looks like the software you wanted. I didn't have that experience when I downloaded pdfsam a few years ago, but they may have been tempted towards the dark side since then.

If you've got the correct download, the file you want should be an exe file with the string "pdfsam" in its name. Mine is called "pdfsam-starter.exe".

Nor do I know why it should be a big download. My whole set of directories for pdfsam takes up only 4.4MB.

Perhaps their product has changed a lot in the last few years, perhaps in response to increasing complexity of Adobe pdf files, or perhaps because of something else.

Sorry I can't be more help. I'm at work and can't use my work computer to test it out right now. They don't like us downloading things at work because of the network load with all the WFH going on.
 
yungman said:
Thanks for the reply. I downloaded and ran installation. I don't know how to use it at all. I looked at the installed programs, there is a PRTG folder, inside, there are
1)Get PRTG desktop
2)PRTG Administration tool
3) PRTG Network Monitor
4)PRTG Network Monitor on web
5) Uninstall.

There's no program to run. It did downloaded over 200M of files and I installed it.

Thanks
That's because you clicked on an advert for a totally unrelated product "PRTG Network Monitor", a demo version of which is what you have downloaded and installed. Scroll further down the page past the advert.
 
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Actually - there is a free online tool to merge PDF and images without file uploading.
PDFWRENCH.com
Very intuitive, files stay at your computer.
 

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