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libreoffice merge pdf

May 8, 2025 5 min read

LibreOffice is a powerful, free, and open-source office suite that many rely on for document creation and editing. While it offers impressive capabilities, merging PDF files directly within LibreOffice can sometimes be less straightforward than users expect. This article will explore the process of merging PDFs using LibreOffice, along with an easier alternative using Breeze PDF, especially for creating and manipulating fillable forms.

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Understanding LibreOffice and PDF Handling

LibreOffice primarily handles its own document formats, such as ODT for word processing and ODS for spreadsheets. To work with PDFs, it uses the Draw application, which allows you to import and edit PDF content to some extent. However, LibreOffice Draw isn't specifically designed for heavy PDF manipulation like merging, leading to potential limitations in functionality and user experience. This is where dedicated PDF tools like Breeze PDF can significantly simplify the process.

How to "Merge" PDFs Using LibreOffice Draw (An Approximation)

The term "merge" is used loosely here, as LibreOffice Draw doesn't directly merge PDFs in the same way dedicated PDF editors do. Instead, it involves importing PDFs as images and arranging them in a single Draw document. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

  1. Open LibreOffice Draw: Launch the Draw application from the LibreOffice suite.
  2. Insert the First PDF: Go to Insert > Picture > From File, and select your first PDF file. Each page of the PDF will be imported as an individual image.
  3. Insert Subsequent PDFs: Repeat the process for each additional PDF you want to include.
  4. Arrange the Pages: Manually arrange the imported PDF pages (images) in the desired order within the Draw document. You may need to create new pages (Insert > Page) to accommodate all the content.
  5. Export as PDF: Once all pages are arranged, go to File > Export As > Export as PDF.

Note that this approach essentially treats the PDF content as images, which can lead to a loss of text editability and potentially reduce the quality of the final PDF file. It's more like assembling a visual document than truly merging PDFs.

Limitations of Using LibreOffice Draw for Merging PDFs

While the above method provides a workaround, it comes with several drawbacks:

  • Loss of Text Editability: The text within the imported PDFs becomes an image, meaning you can no longer directly edit the text.
  • Quality Degradation: Converting PDF pages to images can reduce the overall quality of the document, especially if the original PDFs contain high-resolution graphics or detailed text.
  • Cumbersome Process: Manually arranging pages in Draw can be time-consuming and tedious, especially for large documents.
  • Lack of Interactive Elements: If your PDFs contain fillable forms or other interactive elements, these will likely be lost during the conversion process.

A Simpler Alternative: Breeze PDF

Breeze PDF offers a much more streamlined and user-friendly way to merge PDFs, especially when dealing with fillable forms. Breeze PDF processes everything directly in your browser, ensuring your documents never leave your device. It's 100% private, so you don't have to worry about your data being stored on a server.

With Breeze PDF, you can also create fillable PDFs from scratch, add text boxes, signatures, images, and even password-protect your documents. Plus, all these features are available for free, without requiring any sign-up or downloads.

Merging PDFs with Breeze PDF

Using Breeze PDF to merge PDFs is simple:

  1. Navigate to the Breeze PDF website.
  2. Use the Merge PDF Tool: Breeze PDF offers a dedicated merge tool. Simply upload the PDFs you want to merge.
  3. Arrange and Download: Arrange the PDFs in your desired order, and download the merged PDF.

The process is intuitive, fast, and preserves the integrity of your PDF content, including text editability and interactive form fields. For users who need to work with fillable forms, Breeze PDF offers features to add fillable fields, input boxes, and more form options to existing documents.

Benefits of Using Breeze PDF

Here are some key advantages of choosing Breeze PDF for your PDF merging and form creation needs:

  • Preserves PDF Integrity: Unlike LibreOffice Draw, Breeze PDF maintains the original quality and editability of your PDF content.
  • Simplified Process: Merging PDFs is a straightforward, drag-and-drop process.
  • Fillable Form Support: Create, edit, and merge fillable forms without losing their interactive elements. You can easily add form fields to PDFs using Breeze PDF.
  • Privacy-Focused: All processing happens locally in your browser, ensuring your documents remain private and secure.
  • Free and Accessible: Enjoy all features for free, without any sign-up or download requirements. You can password protect the PDF too.

Conclusion

While LibreOffice Draw offers a basic method for assembling PDF pages, it's not a true merging solution and comes with significant limitations. For a more efficient, user-friendly, and privacy-focused approach, especially when dealing with fillable forms, Breeze PDF is the superior choice. Enjoy seamless PDF merging and form creation, all within your browser and completely free of charge. You can quickly make PDFs editable using Breeze PDF's intuitive tools, giving you full control over your documents.