Split or Merge PDFs with PDFsam Basic, an open source program for Windows, Linux and macOS
PDFs have long been a commonly used format for eBooks, digital manuals or documents thanks to how content is presented regardless of operating system that is used and great support for PDF reading applications (check out Sumatra for an excellent PDF reader).
Editing PDF documents on the other hand has never been great, especially if you limited your search to free solutions.
Most free PDF tools are online based, which means you're uploading your document to a third-party server. While that is okay for generic files, it may be an issue for anything else.
PDFSAM -- PDF Split and Merge
If you just want to perform some basic operations such as splitting a PDF or merging multiple files into a single document, you can use PDFsam Basic. It's a free, open source program that's available for Windows, Linux and macOS.
The main screen of PDF Split and Merge is where you select what you want to do. The application provides the following options:
- Merge
- Split
- Rotate
- Extract
- Split by bookmarks
- Mix
- Split by Size
Clicking on one of the options takes you to the editor interface which may look different as it depends on the selected action. The left side-bar can be used to switch between the tools. You can drag and drop files on to the interface or use the add button to select the PDFs that you wish to use. Right-clicking on the added files allows you to rearrange the order of the documents, remove them, or view the PDF's properties.
Merge PDFs
This option can be used combine multiple PDF documents into one. The Page range selector lets you select specific pages from each document for the merging process.
The Merge tab has options to add a blank page at the end of each document if the number of pages is odd. The footer setting, when selected, adds the name of the PDF to the page, while the normalize page size option re-sizes pages to the width of the first page. Other options provided include generating a Table of Contents, Bookmark retention, and interactive form management. To merge the selected files, set the desired options and hit the Run button; the merged PDF will be ready in a few seconds.
You can customize the destination folder where the PDF should be saved, and also set the name of the new file using the "Destination" section.
The Mix and merge section of the sidebar uses pages in alternating order from two or more PDFs to create a single PDF. So it will use a page from the first PDF followed by one from the 2nd PDF, and so on to mix and merge the document.
Split PDF
If you have a large PDF that you wish to break down into smaller documents, you can do that with PDFsam. There are a few different ways to split a PDF including: after each page, odd or even pages, split after specific page numbers, or after every "n" pages (for e.g. after every 5 pages). There are two more ways to Split PDFs: by bookmarks and by size (in KB and MB).
Rotate
Ever had a PDF which had pages or pictures in landscape mode? This set of options in PDFsam can be used to rotate individual pages, all pages, odd or even pages of a PDF, by 90 or 180 degrees clockwise, or 90 degrees anti-clockwise.
Extract
This option is handy if you just want to extract one or two pages, to use for reference or quick access. You can also extract the pages by using the page ranges selection tool (like extracting a Chapter).
There is a whole section of Premium features that you obviously can't use in the free version. It just serves as an ad for the paid versions, and you can ignore it or disable the Premium section from the settings. PDFsam Basic does not require Java to be installed, it comes with the required files needed to run the application. The program is available as a portable version.
Closing Words
In my tests, I merged various eBooks to form a single book. I did this a few times with various options enabled, and the size of the final PDF differed a bit depending on what I selected. For the price of free, I have no complaints with it.
Does it come back after every “moment” update?
Yeah right.. Like this is going to stop defender from running =) This is comedy gold right here.
no ‘about the author’ paragraph?
For permanent disable defender is if removed complete from system no just change permission folder.
Just this is joke.
simpler, load Autoruns (SysInternals)
– filter “Defender”
– untag all entries
– reboot
nothing has changed since my 1st modification years ago
I wouldn’t disable Defender imho, it has too many hidden roots inside Windows itself. One time I tried to uninstall it using brute force scripts and then the Onedrive feature stopped working definitely. A reinstallation was needed and since those times I prefer to maintain Defender untouched. It’s a better method to install another antivirus and it will disable Defender in a safer and easier mode (e.g., Avast is the best in this way, and also Panda Cloud Free is good too).
U are just * [Editor: removed] thats the problem ;p first of all u shall always debloat windows u shall have max 65 services with your drivers for pc and windows own servs. You didnt know what that script did
You can not stop defender from running in background or remove it without some penalty. All you can do is to limit telemetry.
@borts,
It’s probably Smartscreen which is preventing WD from being disabled. Get rid of that and the problem should be solved: https://thegeekpage.com/disable-windows-defender-smartscreen/#How_to_disable_the_Windows_Defender_SmartScreen_via_Local_Group_Policy_Editor
Remove Windows and go for Linux.
Linux sucks dude. Besides it’s not comparable to Windows, these OSes are in different classes entirely.
I use Linux as my daily driver. It’s far more stable than Windows. When’s the last time you used Linux, 2010?
@basingstoke
You’re right, dude. Bro, linux is just a bunch of code that starts before the OS, dude. Brobrodude, that shit ain’t even got emojis, dudebrodudeman! Dudebro, it’s no way near as cool as Windows with its hardcoded abilities to make money off the user, bro. Yo brodude man, you’re the coolest dude ever man, bro. Dude.
Lol what? Windows 7 doesn’t come with any Emojis
Download Autoruns and remove the checkmark from Windows Defender. It doesn’t remove it, but it will never run. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns
Just use “Defender Control”:
https://www.sordum.org/9480/defender-control-v2-1/comment-page-1/#comments
Per this video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLIjr7FyxZ8
it also works on Windows 11 too…
Win Defender, is completly the most succesful free-built in antivirus of Microsoft. Really nice product. Saved my ass a lot of times. Has updated malware database, completly strong defence
from whatever smart screen disables. Or if you want better and more upgrated (paid) program,
you can go further. But defender is always on your side.
Why would one disable Windows (or Microsoft) Defender in the first place?. I consider this to be playing with fire big time. Everybody knows that if one is using another A-V, Defender will be disabled on its own and won’t be in one’s way.
Why would I want to disable Windows Defender in the first place? It’s a great anti virus in my opinion. Been using it since Windows 8 and and never had a problem or a virus. Why mess with a good thing, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
How a ridiculous article!
I am thoroughly stunned.
Why Should You Disable First-Party Windows Defender?
I can only think that it is “malice or perversely intention (want you to buy a third-party AV where you can expect a back margin)” to guide invalidation without showing the premise.
No sane company will use third-party closed source programs (such as AV).
As I thought, “Ghacks Technology News” seems to be coming to downfall.