How to reorder pages in a PDF
Put the pages of a PDF in exactly the order you want. Drag them around, turn the ones that are sideways and remove the ones you don’t need, then save a tidy new copy. It all happens in your browser.
- 1
Add your PDF
Drop it onto the box above or tap “choose a file”. Every page appears as a thumbnail, numbered in its current position.
- 2
Rearrange the pages
On a computer, drag a page and drop it where it belongs. On a phone, or with a keyboard, use the left and right arrows under each page to move it.
- 3
Rotate or remove pages
Use the rotate button to turn a page 90° clockwise, and the bin to remove it. “Reset” brings back the original order if you change your mind.
- 4
Save the new order
Press “Save new order”. Your reorganized PDF downloads with “-organized” added to its name.
When you need to reorganize a PDF
- Scans in the wrong order. Pages fed into a scanner in a muddle, or scanned in separate batches.
- Moving sections around. Bring the summary to the front, push appendices to the back, or put the signature page last.
- Building one document from several. After combining files with Merge PDF, interleave or regroup their pages here.
- Preparing a handout or portfolio. Pick the order that tells your story best and drop the pages that don’t.
Using the controls
Each page has four small buttons underneath it:
- ← and → move the page one place earlier or later. They work everywhere, including touch screens where dragging isn’t available.
- ↻ rotates the page 90° clockwise. Press it again to keep turning.
- Bin removes the page from the new document. A note above the pages tells you how many you’ve removed.
The number on each page shows its position in the new document, so you always know what the final order will be before you save.
Good to know
Your reorganized PDF is built from copies of your pages, so text stays sharp and searchable and images keep their original resolution. Because the document is rebuilt, its bookmarks and fillable form fields aren’t carried over. That’s typical when pages are rearranged, since bookmarks point at old positions.
If all you need is to fix sideways pages, Rotate PDF changes the file in place and keeps bookmarks and form fields. And to save parts of a document as separate files, use Split PDF.
A tip for scans done fronts-first
Scanning double-sided paperwork on a single-sided scanner usually means feeding all the fronts through, then turning the stack over and feeding all the backs. The result is a PDF with every front page first and every back page after it, often with the backs in reverse order.
To put it right, work through the document from the start: move the first back page so it sits after the first front page, then the next back page after the second front page, and so on. The page numbers on each tile show the new order as you go, so you can check the sequence at a glance before saving. For long documents, it can be quicker to rescan with a duplex setting if your scanner has one.
Private by design
Organizing a document usually means looking closely at every page, which makes privacy matter even more. PDFCocoon draws the page previews and builds the new PDF on your own device. Your file is never uploaded, and it’s gone from memory as soon as you close the tab.
Frequently asked questions
Dragging doesn’t work on my phone. How do I move pages?
Use the left and right arrows under each page. They move the page one place at a time and work on every device.
Can I remove pages while reordering?
Yes. Use the bin button under a page. Removed pages aren’t included in the new PDF.
How do I undo my changes?
Press Reset to restore the original order, rotation and pages. Your original file is never changed either way.
Can I add pages from another PDF?
Combine the files first with Merge PDF, then open the merged file here to arrange all the pages together.
Is there a limit on the number of pages?
No fixed limit. Page previews load as you scroll, so long documents stay quick to work with.
Will reordering reduce quality?
No. Pages are copied exactly as they are, without re-compression.