Add a cover page to your PDF

Create the cover as a separate PDF, put it first in the merge, and check the result.

Drag & drop PDF files here

or

Free: up to 5 files, 20MB total

Why add a cover page

A cover page introduces a document with the title, author, date, or any branding. It appears first, so readers see it before the main content. This tool merges whole PDF files in the order you choose, so a cover page PDF goes in first position.

Create the cover page as a PDF

Design the cover in a word processor (Word, Google Docs) or a design app. Once you are happy with the layout, export it to PDF: look in the File menu for "Export as PDF" or "Save as PDF". The exact menu name and wording vary by program, so check yours. The cover must be a PDF file before you merge it with the rest.

Merge the cover page first

The merge puts files in the order you choose. Merge your files like this:

  1. Press Choose files and select all the PDFs: the cover page and the document.
  2. Read the list. If the cover page is not first, use the ↑ button or drag by the ☰ handle to move it to the top.
  3. Press Merge PDFs, then Download merged.pdf.

Check the page count

Open the merged PDF in a viewer and count the pages. A 1-page cover plus a 50-page document should total 51 pages (1 + 50). Flip through the first few pages to make sure the cover is there and nothing is missing or upside down.

Page numbering: the cover and the original document

The merge does not renumber pages or add page numbers. If your document's first chapter says "page 1" at the bottom, that page is still labeled "page 1" in the merged result, but it is now on physical page 2 (because the cover is page 1). If your document has its own page numbers or a table of contents, they will not update automatically. This tool joins whole files without altering their content.

What this does not do

It does not edit text, change colours, add page numbers to the document, rotate pages, or resize them. A password-protected PDF stops the merge with an error. Bookmarks, form fields or the document title may not carry over. The original files are never changed.

More about merging PDFs

Free, with an optional Pro unlock

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