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October 16, 2018
Answered

Can't combine files into one PDF.

  • October 16, 2018
  • 8 replies
  • 166450 views

I'm trying to combine multiple files into one PDF. I have 40 individual pdf pages that I want to make one pdf that is 40 pages in length. I then want to edit that document, rotate pages properly and save it. Used to be a simple and straight forward process. What am I missing?

I am choosing combine files to a pdf, but regardless of what I choose, it apparently creates a portfolio made up of individual documents. I also want to rotate pages that were combined (some of which were landscape), and there is no way I can see to do that without literally going into each document, rotating and saving.

Any help greatly appreciated.

    Correct answer Rose3759538074gq

    Hi, I experienced the same, but I was able to successfully combined individual pdfs into a single PDF. First, I reduced the size of each individual pdf files  by clicking the "compressed" option. Then after that, I was able to combined all the pdfs into a single PDF. Hope this helps!

    8 replies

    K
    kellir7038508
    New Participant
    March 9, 2024

    This is a very frustrating problem. Here is my fix for combining files into a binder instead of a portfolio. Note: the binder version combines the files into one single continuous PDF that you can scroll down instead of all the separate files. After you click Create Combine files,  click the OPTIONS button at the top and deselect Save as a Portfolio.  Finally, click combine and it will save it as binder. 

     

     

    R
    Rose3759538074gqCorrect answer
    New Participant
    May 23, 2024

    Hi, I experienced the same, but I was able to successfully combined individual pdfs into a single PDF. First, I reduced the size of each individual pdf files  by clicking the "compressed" option. Then after that, I was able to combined all the pdfs into a single PDF. Hope this helps!

      D
      DaveAtMacEwan28462020
      New Participant
      February 17, 2023

      February 17th, 2023.
      Still experiencing this problem. 
      DO NOT have PDF Portfolio checked.
      DO NOT WANT PDF Portfolio checked.
      Right click to combine files that are located on One Drive or other network drive, FAILS.
      Copy same files to desktop and try again, SUCCESS.
      Have been doing from network drives FOR YEARS without issue.
      Problem started a couple weeks ago.
      What is the fix?
      Thank you.

      Using Office 365 and Acrobat DC, versions current as of today.

      I
      Irene28572621eb4a
      New Participant
      February 24, 2023

      Just experienced similar problems after years of creating "binder" files - an update must have messed with the settings.

      Solution - open Acrobat, select File, select Create, scroll to Combine Files to Single PDF

      When the acrobat window opens, you will see the wheel on top with the Options, click to change Option settings.  When the Options settings window opens, deselect the "Save as PDF Portfolio" option.  Viola - combining files will now automatically combine them as one instead of Portfolio.

      L
      Linda27496133h0xf
      New Participant
      December 8, 2022

      Hi....

      Can anyone help with my issue?  I can't combine two pdfs into a single pdf without the first page coming out all gibberish

      Appreciate your suggestions

       

      L
      LORETTA5E68
      New Participant
      December 16, 2020

      When you are in the combince files screen, before you combining the files, click the Option icon and unclick the "Save as PDF Portfolio" button

       

        A
        angelap67227400
        New Participant
        July 11, 2022

        So I cannot figure out how to combine my files. Since my files have digital signatures it is telling me I have to have save as a PDF portfolio. I have 5 files, total of 24 pages - cannot make it happen. 

        H
        Haydn5E57
        New Participant
        September 30, 2020

        I cannot combine files either and I just paid to be able to do it through Adobe.  The combine button is not an option. What do I do?

         

         

          A
          adamh88810044
          New Participant
          October 26, 2020

          I had the same issue. You must enter the new file name first (just to the left of the combine button) in order to activate the combine button. Hope this helps

           

          D
          dbaangela
          New Participant
          December 22, 2018

          I've recently noticed that my files are not combining into one PDF but into a portfolio. It does not matter if I use the tools shortcut or the tools>create function. I'm not sure what changes because when I started to use Pro DC in October I was able to do just that: combine multiple PDF's into one PDF (where the pages are 1 to infinity; not one page of one, hit arrow next for subsequent page). Hopefully there's another way to correct what was once working. I've done numerous searches and have not found a solution.

          ETA: Naturally, as soon as I posted I was able to figure out the solution: When in the combined files window click options and uncheck Save As PDF Portfolio. The combined file should now say Binder instead of Portfolio.

            M
            Mary5EC0
            New Participant
            November 2, 2020

            Thank you so much for this advice - I spent hours working on this today and this post has helped enormously. I now have a binder file - hurray 🙂

             

              gary_sc
              gary_sc
              Community Expert
              October 19, 2018

              Hi Kates,

              Can you please verify which version of Acrobat Pro you are using? It is Acrobat Pro DC, and I assume you are updated to the latest release?

              What is the process you are using to combine these pages? It should be from here:

              Note that further down that menu is "PDF Portfolio." Did you miss when selecting?

              Before you do this though, try to have some built in order. That is pre-name them such as 01-document.pdf, 02-document.pdf, etc.

              Then when you bring them in they will be in the order you want. BTW, you do not need to pre-form them into PDFs you can bring Word, JPGs, Excel documents (and some other formats) all in there and combine them then let Acrobat do the rest.

              Next you stated you were concerned about rotating some of the PDFs, Are you aware that within a single PDF you can have portrait and landscape documents next to each other? PDFs do not care, they are not books. However, if you are concerned and wish to rotate some of the pages, you can go into the Organize Pages set of tools and easily rotate the pages there. You state that there are only about 30 pages. That's not enough to worry about how to have Acrobat self-rotate, it's small enough to simply rotate them by hand within Organize Pages. Yes, a bit tedious but much faster in the long run.

              You can then do a Save as... and you should be done.

              I hope this works for you, you didn't give much information in your original problem/issue statement.

                D
                default4ewyxfqdu2lf
                Participating Frequently
                March 22, 2023

                I'm amazed that Kates had that problem. I had the exact opposite. I ended up with twelve 10page documents combined into one without even trying. (It's a good thing, mind you...I'm not complaining, just confused.)

                 

                I don't have ANY Pro version of Adobe Acrobat/Reader. I haven't paid for anything...and as far as I know, I didn't click on any Free Trial button.........and yet.....
                I downloaded 12 monthly statements from my online banking website...they first appeared (during the downloading process) in the Chrome Adobe extension. From there, I saved each one and modified the name of each as I was doing it...changing them from "onlinestatement" (or whatever they were) to "2020_Jan"...etc, etc.

                As I was doing all this, Adobe Acrobat itself opened and started neatly arranging my newly (sensibly) named PDF's as tabs accross the top of Adobe's viewing window.

                I can't remember the sequence of events, exactly...whether I clicked on Save, again, or what I did, but when I subsequently clicked on one of the PDF's that ended up in my CIBC/Unregistered/51807 folder in File Explorer, low and behold, it opened Adobe and there was only ONE document tab at the top and ALL 12 months were in ONE flowing document with 120 pages in it. Jan/Feb/Mar, etc, etc, etc....all nicely one after the other, like scrolling down through the worlds longest letter in Word.

                I have no idea HOW I did that, nor can I RE-CREATE the magic.

                I've SEEN the "Combine Files" command under "File" and even tried clicking on it once or twice, but as soon as I saw the words "Sign up forFree 7-Day Trial" I felt my wallet getting fidgety and backed off.

                 

                Does anyone have ANY idea what I might have done.......that I don't seem to be able to DO AGAIN?

                W
                willhendriks1962
                Inspiring
                October 17, 2018

                could you show some examples.

                If you combine 40 files in to one pdf, all pages are under each other in one pdf, and yes i looks like a portfolio. I've never used it with landscape and portrait in one combined pdf, but normally acrobat sees what is lanscape and is portrait.

                Maybe a silly question, but do you have installed Office 365 on your computer? Because i have some issues with acrobat since i installed Office 365.

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