How to insert pages into a PDF on Mac
When the new pages belong in the middle rather than at the end.
Merging joins documents end to end. Insertion puts one document's pages inside another at a point you choose. Two signed pages back into the contract they came from, an updated appendix replacing the old one, a missing page from a rescan dropped into the right slot.
Adding pages from another PDF is free and always will be. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing is watermarked.
Insert, step by step
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Open the document that is being added to
The one whose page numbering you want to keep.
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Choose Add Pages from a PDF
From the document actions panel, under Pages.
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Pick the source document
And, if you only want part of it, the pages to take.
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Choose where they go
After a specific page, at the beginning, or at the end. This is the whole point of using insert rather than merge, so take a moment over it.
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Check and save
Look at the thumbnails around the join to confirm it landed where you meant, then ⌘+S.
Replacing a page rather than adding one
There is no single “replace” command, and it does not need one: insert the new page immediately after the old one, check the two side by side in the thumbnails, then delete the old one. Doing it in that order means you can see both before committing, which is safer than deleting first and hoping.
If the exact position is fiddly — inserting five pages into the middle of a long document at four different points — insert them anywhere and then drag them into place in Organize Pages. Dragging in a grid is easier to judge than specifying page numbers.
What comes across
The inserted pages bring their content and their annotations. They do not bring the source document's title or keywords, and links that pointed elsewhere inside the source document will no longer go anywhere useful.
Adding a blank page
To add a blank — a separator, a page for a handwritten signature, a spacer so a double-sided print falls correctly — duplicate an existing page and clear it, or insert a page from a blank document you keep for the purpose. Both take a few seconds and both are free.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add pages to an existing PDF on a Mac?
Use Add Pages from a PDF, choose the source document and the pages you want, and say where they go. It is free.
What is the difference between inserting and merging?
Merging joins whole documents end to end. Inserting puts another document's pages at a point you choose inside this one.
How do I replace a page in a PDF?
Insert the new page immediately after the old one, compare them in the thumbnails, then delete the old one. Doing it in that order lets you check before committing.
Can I insert a blank page?
Duplicate an existing page and clear it, or insert one from a blank document you keep for the purpose.
Do annotations come with inserted pages?
Yes. Marks stay with the pages they were on.