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It is important to manage PDF files efficiently. PDFs are common for work and study; you need the right tools to handle them well. One such tool is PDFsam. It is great for splitting and merging PDF documents. PDFsam is simple and versatile, and it helps you keep your PDFs organized.

This article will explore how to use PDFsam split and merge. You will learn how to split large PDFs into smaller ones and merge multiple PDFs into one file. Additionally, we will explore another tool called Wondershare PDFelement. It is a good alternative with many features. Stay tuned to master your PDF management with these tools.

In this article
  1. Downloading and Installing PDFsam
    1. Merging PDF Files with PDFsam
    2. Splitting PDF Files with PDFsam
  2. Analyzing PDFsam: Pros and Cons
    1. How to Merge and Split PDFs in PDFelement.

Part 1. Downloading and Installing PDFsam

PDFsam (PDF Split and Merge) is a free tool for managing PDF files. It is open-source and works on different platforms. With PDFsam, you can split, merge, extract, rotate, and mix PDF documents. The basic version is free, but you can upgrade for more features.

Once you have downloaded PDFsam, follow these steps to install it:

  1. Make sure your computer meets the system requirements. PDFsam needs Java to run. If you do not have Java, you will be prompted to install it during the setup.
download pdfsam
  1. Install it on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Now that you have PDFsam installed on your computer, you can start using PDFsam split and merge to manage your PDF files efficiently.

Part 2. How to Use PDFsam for Merging and Splitting PDFs

PDFsam (PDF Split and Merge) is a powerful tool for managing PDF files. This part will guide you through merging and splitting PDF files using PDFsam.

Merging PDF Files with PDFsam

Merging PDF files is easy with PDFsam. Follow these steps:

Step1

Launch PDFsam on your computer.

Step2

On the left panel, click on "Merge".

Step3

Click on the "Add" button. Drag and drop the PDF files you want to merge.

drag pdf file
Step4

Arrange the files in the order you want them to appear in the merged document by dragging them up or down.

organize file
Step5

In the "Destinationfile" field, enter a name for the merged PDF.

Step6

Click the "Run" button. Wait for the process to complete. The merged PDF will be saved in the specified location.

merge the files

Splitting PDF Files with PDFsam

Splitting PDF files is also straightforward. Here’s how to do it:

Step1

Launch PDFsam on your computer. On the left panel, click on "Split".

Step2

Click on the "Add" button. Drag and drop the PDF file you want to split.

Step3

Choose a Splitting Method:

choose the splitting method
Step4

Click the "Browse" button to select where to save the split files. Enter a name for the output files.

Step5

Click the "Run" button. Wait for the process to complete. The split files will be saved in the specified location.

split the file

Using PDFsam to split and merge PDFs makes handling your documents easy and efficient. You can customize the process to fit your needs and better manage your files.

Part 3. Analyzing PDFsam: Pros and Cons

PDFsam offers a straightforward user experience. The interface is simple and easy to navigate. On the left side, you see options like "Merge" and "Split." Selecting an option involves a clear, step-by-step process, making it easy for users of all skill levels.

Pros
  • The simple interface makes it accessible to everyone.
  • Free to use and customizable.
  • Offers many features for managing PDFs.
  • Works on multiple operating systems.
  • Reliable performance with regular updates.
Cons
  • Some features require the paid version.
  • Encourages upgrading to the paid version.
  • Needs Java to run, which can be a hassle for some users.

Overall, PDFsam is a great tool for managing PDFs. Its user-friendly interface and wide range of features make it a valuable asset. While the free version has some limitations, it still offers plenty of functionality for most users.

Part 4. A Better PDFsam Alternative - Wondershare PDFelement

pdfelement

Wondershare PDFelement is a powerful tool for managing PDF files. It offers many features that make working with PDFs easy and efficient. With PDFelement, you can create, edit, convert, and sign PDF documents. It also allows you to annotate and protect your files.

  • Edit PDFs: Easily edit your PDFs' text, images, and links.
  • Convert Files: Convert PDFs to and from various formats, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • OCR Technology: Optical Character Recognition (OCR) lets you edit scanned documents.
  • Form Creation: Create and fill out PDF forms with ease.
  • Annotate and Comment: Add comments, highlights, and annotations.
  • Password Protection: Secure your PDFs with passwords and permissions.
  • Batch Processing: Process multiple files at once for efficiency.

Wondershare PDFelement is a superior alternative to PDFsam. It offers comprehensive features, a better user experience, and greater efficiency.

How to Merge and Split PDFs in PDFelement.

Merging and splitting PDFs in PDFelement is simple and efficient. This tool helps you combine multiple PDFs into one or break a large PDF into smaller files. PDFelement offers a user-friendly interface and powerful features to manage your PDFs easily and effectively.

Merging PDF Files with PDFelement

Combining multiple PDF files into one is easy with PDFelement. Follow these steps to start a new merge project:

Step1

Launch PDFelement on your computer. Click the "Combine" box under the Quick Tool tab on the start page.

pdfelement combine
Step2

In the "Combine PDF" window, click the "Add Files" button. Select the PDF files you want to merge from your computer.

add files
Step3

Arrange the files in the order you want them to appear in the combined PDF. Drag the files up or down to rearrange them.

Step4

Click the "..." button to set the output folder for the merged PDF.

Step5

Click the "Apply" button. PDFelement will combine the files in a few seconds.

merge

Following these simple steps, you can easily merge multiple PDF files into one document using PDFelement.

Splitting PDF Files with PDFelement

Splitting PDF files with PDFelement is simple. Follow these steps to access the split function and explore the options available.

Step1

Launch PDFelement on your computer. Click the "Open files" button to browse your local folders and select the PDF file you want to split.

Step2

Click the "Page" tab at the top of the window and then click the "Split" button.

pdfelement split
Step3

A new window will appear with different splitting options:

  • Split by page number: Enter the number of pages per file. For example, if your PDF has 10 pages and you enter 5, the PDF will be split into two files, each with 5 pages.
  • Split by range: Specify the page range to split. For example, if you want to split the first 5 pages and the rest separately, enter the range accordingly.
  • Split specific pages: Enter specific page numbers to extract as separate files. For instance, entering 1, 3, and 5 will create individual files for pages 1, 3, and 5.
  • Split by size: This option allows you to split a large PDF into smaller files of a specified size. For example, if you set the size to 1 MB, PDFelement will split the file into parts around 1 MB.
  • Split by bookmarks: If your PDF has bookmarks, you can split it according to the bookmark levels. This is useful for splitting a document into chapters or sections.

splitting option
Step4

After selecting your preferred splitting method and entering the necessary details, click "Apply." PDFelement will split the PDF based on your settings.

split the document

Following these steps, you can easily split PDF files using PDFelement, making managing and organizing your documents simple.

Conclusion

PDFsam is a reliable tool for splitting and merging PDF files. It is suitable for users who need basic PDF management. For advanced features, Wondershare PDFelement is a great alternative. It offers more options and a user-friendly interface. Choosing the right tool depends on your needs. For basic tasks, PDFsam is enough. For more advanced features, PDFelement is a better choice.

Audrey Goodwin
Audrey Goodwin May 22, 24
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12 years of talent acquired in the software industry working with large publishers. Public speaker and author of several eBooks on technical writing and editing.