Split and Merge PDFs Using PDF.co and Zapier

Step 1: Set Up the Google Drive Trigger

Upload a three-page PDF to a dedicated input folder in Google Drive.

Create a Zap and select Google Drive as the trigger app with New File in Folder as the event. Connect your account and select the drive and input folder.

Test the trigger and select your sample PDF.

Step 2: Split the PDF

Add PDF.co and select Split PDF Into Multiple Files. Connect your PDF.co account by signing in and authorizing access.

Configure the action:

• Source PDF URL: Map the File value from Google Drive.
• Page Numbers/Ranges: Enter 1,2,3 to create three separate one-page PDFs.
• Base Filename for New PDFs: Enter split-page.

Page numbering starts at 1. You can also specify ranges such as 1-2,3 or use * to split every page into a separate file.

Test the action. The results include individual output links such as url1, url2, and url3. See the Split PDF documentation for configuration details.

Step 3: Merge the Selected Files

Add another PDF.co action and select PDF Merger. Use your connected PDF.co account.

Configure the action:

• Source Files URLs: Insert the output URL fields from the split step, separated by commas, in the order you want them merged.
• Automatically Convert Non-PDF Files: Set to No, since all inputs are PDFs.
• Output File Name: Enter merged.pdf.

For example, map url1, then a comma, then url2, then a comma, then url3 to preserve the original page order. Map only the files you want to include.

Use Zapier’s field picker to insert the URL values dynamically; do not type the field names as plain text.

Test the action and open the returned url to check the merged document. See the Merge PDF documentation for more settings.

Step 4: Save the Merged PDF

Add Google Drive → Upload File.

Select an output folder and map the merge step’s url to the File field. Use a different folder from the watched input folder to prevent the output from triggering the workflow again.

Test the upload and confirm that the merged PDF appears in Google Drive. This saves a permanent copy before the temporary PDF.co download link expires.

Publish the Zap to process new PDFs automatically.