How to Insert Files into Existing PDFs in Adobe Acrobat (PC & Mac)

This tutorial shows two ways to insert files into existing PDFs in Adobe Acrobat.

Version Alert: If you are using Adobe Acrobat Pro with the 2023 interface update, please see the new version of this tutorial, “How to Combine PDFs into One in Adobe Acrobat Pro (2023 Interface Update).”

The first method uses the Page Thumbnails panel. This method allows you to insert files from within the main document window. The second way uses the Organize Pages toolbar. This method requires you to leave the main document window but provides an easier interface for rearranging pages.

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The inserted files can be PDFs, images, or files from another application on your computer such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel.

The inserted files will be converted to the PDF format. So, files with interactive properties (such as Excel files) will be “flattened” to a text format. (However, the original file will not be affected.)

If you want to merge files without converting them to PDFs, please see “How to Create a PDF Portfolio in Adobe Acrobat.” In addition, you can attach files without converting them to PDFs, as shown in “How to Attach Files to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat.”

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 200 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Adobe Acrobat Pro (2022 version). These steps also apply to Adobe Acrobat 2020 and Adobe Acrobat 2017. Plus, the steps are similar for PC and Mac. The slight differences between the two platforms will be explained within the individual steps.

Adobe’s free PDF display software, Acrobat Reader, does not have a tool for inserting files into PDFs.

How to Insert Files Using the Page Thumbnails Panel

Page Thumbnails icon in Adobe Acrobat

  1. Open the PDF into which you want to insert the file.
  2. Select the Page Thumbnails icon.

Pro Tip: If you don’t see the Page Thumbnails icon, select the Navigation pane open arrow on the left side of the screen.

Navigation Pane open arrow in Adobe Acrobat

  1. Select the Options button in the Page Thumbnails panel.
Options button in the Page Thumbnails panel in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Select Insert Pages from the drop-down menu.
Insert Pages option in the Options menu in the Page Thumbnails panel in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Select From File from the submenu.
From File option in the Options menu in the Page Thumbnails panel in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Locate and select the file in the Select File To Insert dialog box.
Selected file in the Select File To Insert dialog box in Adobe Acrobat

Pro Tip for Mac Users: If the file is grayed out, select the Options button and then select All Files in the Show menu.

Options button and <a href=Show menu in the Select File To Insert dialog box on Mac" width="804" height="454" />

Open button in the Select File To Insert dialog box in Adobe Acrobat

  1. Select the Open button (PC) or Select button (Mac).
  1. Choose the location where you want to insert the file in the Insert Pages dialog box.

8.a. Select Before or After from the Location menu.

Location menu in the Insert Pages dialog box in Adobe Acrobat

8.b. Select First, Last, or enter a specific page number before or after which the file will be inserted.

Page section in the Insert Pages dialog box in Adobe Acrobat

8.c. Select the OK button.

OK button in the Insert Pages dialog box in Adobe Acrobat

If the inserted file came from another application, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, you will momentarily see a dialog box displaying the conversion progress.

Progress dialog box in Adobe Acrobat

The inserted file should appear as a new page or pages in the Page Thumbnails panel.

Pages inserted in the Page Thumbnails panel in Adobe Acrobat

  1. (Optional) Click, hold, and drag a page to a new location. Release the page when you see a blue bar where it should be inserted.
Moving a page in the Page Thumbnails panel in Adobe Acrobat

10. Save your PDF to save your changes.

How to Insert Files Using the Organize Pages Toolbar

  1. Open the PDF into which you want to insert the file.
  2. Select the Tools tab.
Tools tab in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Select Organize Pages from the Tools Center.
Organize Pages button in the Tools Center in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Select the Insert button in the Organize Pages toolbar.
Insert button in the Organize Pages toolbar in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Select From File from the drop-down menu.
From File option in the Organize Pages toolbar in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Locate and select the file in the Select File To Insert dialog box (see figure 6).
  2. Select the Open button (PC) or Select button (Mac). (see figure 8).
  3. Choose the location where you want to insert the file in the Insert Pages dialog box.

8.a. Select Before or After from the Location menu (see figure 9).

8.b. Select First, Last, or enter a specific page number before or after which the file will be inserted (see figure 10).

8.c. Select the OK button (see figure 11).

If the inserted file came from another application, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, you will momentarily see a dialog box displaying the conversion progress (see figure 12).

The inserted file should appear as a new page or pages in the Organize Pages screen.

  1. (Optional) Click, hold, and drag a page to a new position. Release the page when you see a blue bar where it should be inserted.
Moving a page in the Organize Pages screen in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Select the Close button in the Organize Pages toolbar.
Close button in the Organize Pages toolbar in Adobe Acrobat
  1. Save your PDF to save your changes.

Related Resources

Updated June 17, 2023