How to combine Word documents into a single file

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• You can combine Word documents by using the Object button in the Insert tab.
• Choose Text from File in the Object drop-down menu to automatically add a selected file to your master document.
• You can add as many documents as you like to a single file and then save the result as a master document.

If you have multiple Microsoft Word documents that you'd like to combine into a single, large document, there's more than one way to get the job done. You can open each document, copy the contents, and paste it into a master document, of course. That's not especially difficult, but it can be slow and cumbersome. A better way? Use Word's built-in Insert tool.

How to combine Word documents

1. Start Microsoft Word and create a new, blank document.

2. Click the Insert tab at the top of the ribbon bar.

3. In the Insert ribbon's Text section, click Object, and then in the drop-down menu, choose Text from File.

4. In the Insert File dialog box, choose the Word doc you want to combine with this document and then click Insert. You should see the text flow into the document, retaining all the images, graphic elements, and formatting of the original file.

5. Place the cursor where you want to insert the next document. Then use the Object button and Text from File menu to add the next document.

6. Repeat the process to combine as many documents as you like to your new master document.

Quick tip: Be sure to save your new master file when you are done adding and combining Word docs.

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.