How to Merge PDF Files in Linux

Dealing with multiple PDF files can get messy. If you use Linux, merging PDFs is fast and straightforward. You don’t need to pay for online services or install heavy software. Here’s how to do it the easy way.

Method 1: Using PDFtk

PDFtk (PDF Toolkit) is a popular, lightweight command-line tool for working with PDF files.

Install PDFtk

On Ubuntu or Debian-based systems:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install pdftk

On Fedora:

sudo dnf install pdftk

Merge PDF Files

Place all the PDFs you want to merge in the same folder. Then run:

pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf cat output merged.pdf

Replace file1.pdf and file2.pdf with your actual file names. The merged result will be saved as merged.pdf.

Method 2: Using Ghostscript

Ghostscript is another powerful tool for PDF manipulation.

Install Ghostscript

On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install ghostscript

On Fedora:

sudo dnf install ghostscript

Merge PDF Files

Use this command:

gs -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -q -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -sOutputFile=merged.pdf file1.pdf file2.pdf

Again, change the file names to match your PDFs. The combined file will be called merged.pdf.

Method 3: Using PDF Arranger (GUI Method)

If you prefer a graphical interface, PDF Arranger is user-friendly and lightweight.

Install PDF Arranger

On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install pdfarranger

On Fedora:

sudo dnf install pdfarranger

How to Merge PDFs

1. Open PDF Arranger.
2. Drag and drop your PDF files into the window.
3. Arrange the pages/files as you like.
4. Go to File > Export As, and save your merged PDF.

Which Method Should You Use?

• Command line: If you want quick, scriptable solutions.
• GUI: If you prefer clicking instead of typing.

All these tools are free and open-source.

Final Tips

• Always keep backups of your original PDFs.
• If you deal with PDFs often, try adding these commands to a script for even faster merging.

Merging PDFs on Linux is easy. Pick the method that fits your workflow, and you’ll never have to juggle scattered files again.

Have questions, or need help with a specific Linux distro? Drop a comment below!

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!