How to Merge Word Documents

Ever found yourself drowning in a sea of Word documents? If you're juggling multiple assignments, collecting reports, or simply looking to organize your documents, we've got you covered.

In this guide, we’re walking you through some quick and easy tips that’ll show you how to use the MS Word application as a Word file combiner. We’ll go over the following methods below:

• Merge Word documents in Microsoft Word as an object
• Combine different versions of the same Word document
• Merge Word documents online with Xodo
• Split an MS Word file into multiple documents

Get ready to discover the quickest ways to merge Microsoft Word documents into one like a pro!

How to merge Word documents with Microsoft Word

There are two ways you can combine multiple word documents in MS Word. The first is to insert the content as an object, and the second is to combine documents via the document comparison function.

Merge Word documents together as an object

Using the Insert Object feature allows you to merge two Word documents together by adding the textual content from one file to another. To do so, use the following steps:

1. Open your Word document in MS Word.

2. Click on the Insert tab.

3. Select Object, and then select Text from File.

4. Select the Word files to be merged into the current document. You can also press and hold down the Ctrl button to select more than one document.

Combine two versions of the same Word document

Another way you can achieve the same goal is to use the Combine Documents option. This gives you flexibility to merge different versions of the same Word document together in one official copy.

1. Create a blank document in Microsoft Word. This will serve as your combined document.

2. Go to the Review tab > Compare.

3. In the Compare drop-down menu, click on Combine...

4. In the “Combine Documents” dialog box that appears, select your files accordingly from the drop-down menus – the Original document and the Revised document. You can also select options on how revisions appear for easier merging.

5. Once you have selected the Word documents you want to merge, click on OK.

6. Save the merged document to your device.

Merge two Word documents into one online

To combine your two word documents online, you need to save your MS Word documents as a PDF first.

Go into MS Word and go to File >Export > Create a PDF/XPS document. Do this for the two MS Word documents you wish to merge.

Once you’ve saved your Word documents as a PDF files, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Xodo’s Merge PDF tool.

2. Upload the PDFs you created. Note that Xodo has flexible options for you to select which PDF pages you merge in case you change your mind about the content you’re merging. 

3. When you have your PDFs all set up, click on Merge.

4. Once the merging process is complete, click on PDF to Word under the “Continue to” section.

5. Click on Convert and then download your file to your device or cloud storage.

Working with Xodo online, you no longer have any obstacles preventing you from compiling departmental reports or organizing your documents from wherever you are. You can keep up with your work even without MS Word.

How to split your Word doc again in Microsoft Word

What happens if you need to split your merged Word document? You may need only a few pages that are relevant, or you may want to separate out copies for different users or groups.

In such cases, here’s what you can do. Open Microsoft Word and follow these steps:

1. Click on File > Open and open the Word document that contains the content you want to split.

2. Locate and highlight the content you want to put into a new Word document.

3. Press Ctrl + X to cut and copy the content to the clipboard.

4. Then go to File > New Blank Document.

5. Press Ctrl + V to paste the text into the new document.

6. Lastly, save both your new document and the changes made to the original document.

Why combine Word documents into a single file?

Merging Word documents is a handy know-how skill to have in a pinch. Not only that, but the simple task can go a long way to help improve other areas of your work:

• Easily organize and consolidate related files into a single document. You can reduce the clutter and simplify how you manage your documents.
• Instantly access all the information you need in one place, and eliminate time wasted on searching through multiple files.
• Ensure that formatting, styles, and content across different sections or chapters is consistent and professional-looking.
• Improve how you collaborate. You can merge multiple contributions into one document to help speed up the review process.
• Create comprehensive reports. Users can add a lot to Word documents and can insert PDFs, charts, tables, and references. By consolidating their content containing cited sources, you provide more in-depth and complete reports.
• Boost your overall efficiency. By merging Word documents, you can streamline workflows, reduce duplicate content, and improve the document sharing process.

Whether you're compiling research, crafting a report, or simply organizing your files, merging Word documents is your ticket to efficiency and professionalism.

Do more with your MS Word files

With the different techniques we've covered on merging Word documents, you no longer have to juggle between separate files. With just a few clicks, you can easily combine multiple Word files into one in MS Word and online.

If you found this guide helpful, check out some of our other handy tips to get the most out of Microsoft Word:

• How to Edit a DOCX Online
• 10 Tips for Writing and Editing in Microsoft Word
• How to Clear Formatting in Word
• How to Compress a Word Document
• 5 Tips for Recovering an Unsaved Word Document
• How to Delete a Page in Word (5 Easy Ways)

Integrating Xodo into your daily work can take your document management to the next level on any platform and with the formats you use every day. Start discovering what Xodo can do!