How to Reorder PDF Pages for Free

🌐 All Devices ⏱️ 3 min read ▶️ Video included

Video by Gauging Gadgets

Drag Pages into the Right Order

Rearrange your PDF with simple drag-and-drop.

Open Reorder Pages Tool →

Someone scanned a stack of documents in the wrong order. A merged PDF has sections that make more sense in a different sequence. Your presentation export put the appendix before the main content. The pages are all there — they just need to be shuffled into the right arrangement.

PDFGadget shows every page as a draggable thumbnail. Grab any page and drop it where it belongs. Move single pages or drag multiple at once. When the order looks right, download a new PDF with pages in your preferred sequence. No software to install, no files uploaded to distant servers.

💡 When you need to reorder PDF pages

  • Fixing scans that were fed into the machine backwards
  • Moving the table of contents to the front after merging
  • Reorganizing a presentation for a different audience
  • Putting appendices at the end where they belong
  • Arranging photo pages in chronological order

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open the Reorder Pages Tool

Navigate to pdfgadget.com/reorder-pages-pdf in any browser. Works on desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone with no plugins needed.

💡 Pro tip: For long documents, plan your moves before starting. Note which pages need to go where — this makes the actual reordering much faster.

Step 2: Upload Your PDF

Click the upload area or drag your PDF onto the page. The document loads with thumbnail previews of every page arranged in a grid. Each thumbnail shows page content so you can identify what's what.

Step 3: Drag Pages to New Positions

Click and hold any page thumbnail, then drag it to the desired position. Other pages shift to make room. Release to drop the page in its new spot. Repeat for all pages that need moving.

Step 4: Save Your Reordered PDF

Once pages are in the correct order, click Save/Download. The tool creates a new PDF with pages in your specified sequence. The result downloads automatically.

Reordering Strategies

Different situations call for different approaches:

Why Use PDFGadget for Reordering?

Moving pages around in a PDF should be as easy as shuffling papers on a desk:

Combining with Other Tools

Reordering often happens alongside other PDF tasks:

After Reordering

Your reorganized PDF downloads automatically. From there:

Troubleshooting

Hard to drag on touchscreen

Touch and hold a page thumbnail until it "lifts," then drag. If your device supports it, using a stylus can make precision easier. Alternatively, do heavy reordering on a computer with a mouse.

Can't tell pages apart from thumbnails

If pages look similar (like text documents), note the page numbers displayed on each thumbnail. Cross-reference with your original document open in a separate viewer.

Made a mistake after downloading

Your original file is unchanged. Upload it again and start fresh with the correct arrangement. Each reorder creates a new file.

Too many pages to reorder practically

For very long documents, consider whether Extract Pages and Merge might be faster. Extract sections into separate files, then merge them in the desired order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reorder pages in a password-protected PDF?

Only if it's unlocked. You'll need to open the PDF elsewhere, enter the password, save an unprotected copy, then reorder that.

Are my files uploaded to your servers?

No. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your PDF never leaves your device.

Is there a page limit?

No artificial limit. Your device's memory sets the practical ceiling. Very long documents work but may have slower thumbnail loading.

Will reordering affect page quality?

No. Pages are simply placed in a new sequence. The content remains exactly as it was in the original.

Can I move multiple pages at once?

The interface handles one page at a time for precision. For moving large sections, consider extracting them as a separate file, then merging in the desired order.

Is my original file modified?

No. PDFGadget creates a new file with the reordered pages. Your original PDF remains completely unchanged.