merge pdf mac automator

Merge PDFs in 2 Clicks [Mac Automator]

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Last week I wrote about how to convert images to PDFs in two clicks using Automator on the Mac. This week I'd like to follow up with another quick post on how to merge multiple PDF files into one document in just 2 clicks. Better yet, it's completely free and you don't need to download any extra apps to do this. It's all done using the Automator app that comes on every Mac.

merge pdf automator-3

1. Open Automator on your Mac.

2. Choose the “Service” document type.

Automator Service

3. Make sure the “Service receives selected” option is set to “PDF files” in “Finder”.

This means the option to merge PDFs only appears when you right-click on a group of PDFs and not on other file types.

merge pdf inputs

4. Search for the “Combine PDF Pages” option using the search box or by going to the “PDFs” section in the library.

You can then choose whether to merge pages by appending documents to one another (this is what I chose) or by shuffling them into the document one by one.

5. Search for and add the “Move Finder Items” action to the workflow.

This will create a file in your chosen location.

6. Search for and add the “Rename Finders Items” action to the workflow (optional).

This action allows you to rename the PDF to something like “Merged PDF”.

merge-pdf-automator

 

7. Save the workflow and call it “Merge PDF”.

6. That's it!

merge pdf automator-1
To use the service, simply right-click on a group of PDFs and choose the “Merge PDF” option that has appeared at the bottom of the menu. Larger documents may take a few moments and you can check on the progress from the Automator icon in the menu bar.

merge pdf automator progress

Easy as!

Check out my other handy Mac tips: