Most PDF problems are not format problems — they are workflow problems: pages sent in the wrong order, one sideways scan in an otherwise fine document, "Page 1 of N" stamped on the title page, hidden metadata leaking your name and edit history, and confidential files uploaded to an unknown server. All of these are avoidable. The reliable method is to process PDFs locally in your browser and verify each step before downloading. This tutorial walks you through one concrete task — turning several source files into one clean, page-numbered, redacted PDF that is ready to send — using the free browser tools at OctopusPDF. The files never leave your device: the app parses and edits them inside the browser tab with PDF.js and pdf-lib, and you download the result [K3]. When you finish, you will have a single PDF with correct page order, upright pages, page numbers, no sensitive text, and no hidden metadata.
What You Will Need
Before you start, confirm you have:
- A modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari). All 14 OctopusPDF tools run inside the browser tab [K5].
- The source PDFs you want to combine. For very large jobs, merging on the Pro plan supports files up to 100 MB [K1].
- No account and no payment. The tools have no watermark, no sign-up, and no waiting room [K3].
- An internet connection to load the web app. The processing itself happens locally on your device [K3].
The five tools used in this tutorial:
| Tool | What it does | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| Merge PDF | Combine multiple PDFs into one file, in the order you choose [K5] | Step 2 |
| Rotate PDF | Turn pages 90, 180, or 270 degrees for all pages or a custom range [K5] | Step 3 |
| Page Numbers | Stamp "1 / N" or "Page 1 of N" in any corner, with cover skip [K5] | Step 4 |
| Redact / Sanitize | Physically delete metadata, comments, and hidden content before sharing [K5] | Step 5 |
| Metadata | View and edit title, author, and more, or wipe it all in one click [K5] |