How to Attach a File to a PDF

Updated September 22, 2026

To attach a file to a PDF, open PDF Attachments, drop in the PDF, choose the files to add and save. Any file type works: a spreadsheet, a source file, a photo. Everything happens in your browser, so neither the PDF nor the attachments are uploaded.

PDF Attachments: Attach files to a PDF or extract them. Free, and your file never leaves your device.

Open PDF Attachments

Steps

Open PDF Attachments and drop in your PDF.
Check the list of files already attached. You can save any of them from here.
Under "Files to attach", choose one or more files. Add more in a second pick if you need to.
Click Attach files and download the new PDF.
Open it in a PDF reader and look in the attachments panel to find the files.

Where attachments show up

Attached files live inside the PDF, not on its pages. Readers list them in an attachments panel, often marked with a paperclip, and let you open or save each one.

Some browser PDF viewers do not show attachments at all. If the person you send the file to cannot find them, a desktop reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader will list them. They can also drop the PDF into PDF Attachments to see and save every file.

Attach a file or merge it?

Attach when the other file is not a PDF, or when it should travel with the document without appearing in it. A spreadsheet behind a report is a good example: the reader gets the figures and the numbers stay editable.

If the other document should be read as pages, merge the PDFs instead. Merged pages print and scroll like the rest of the file. Attachments do neither.

PDF Attachments: Attach files to a PDF or extract them. Free, and your file never leaves your device.

Open PDF Attachments

Keep the file size down

The PDF grows by roughly the size of what you attach. Large videos or photo sets make a heavy file for email.

Shrink the pages first with Compress PDF, then attach, since compressing does not touch attachments. Save photos as JPG before attaching them.

Extract attachments from a PDF

The same tool works the other way. Drop in a PDF and every attached file is listed with a Save button, so you can get them out without a desktop reader.

To strip every attachment from a PDF before you share it, use Sanitize PDF with embedded files selected.

Frequently asked questions

How do I attach a file to a PDF for free?

Use PDF Attachments. Drop in the PDF, choose the files, and download the result. There is no signup and nothing is uploaded.

What kind of files can I attach to a PDF?

Any type. Spreadsheets, Word files, images, ZIPs and source code all work. The reader opens each one with whatever app handles that type.

Why can I not see the attachments in my PDF?

Some viewers, including several built into browsers, do not show attachments. Open the PDF in a desktop reader, or drop it into PDF Attachments to list them.

How do I get attachments out of a PDF?

Drop the PDF into PDF Attachments. Every attached file is listed with a Save button.

Does attaching a file make the PDF bigger?

Yes, by roughly the size of the attached files. Compress the PDF before attaching if size matters.

How do I remove attachments from a PDF?

Run it through Sanitize PDF with embedded files selected. The pages stay the same and the attachments are gone.