To merge multiple documents in Word 2013, open the document you want to combine them into, click where the added content should go, and choose Insert > Object (the arrow next to it) > Text from File. Select one or more Word files (hold Ctrl to pick several) and click Insert. Word adds their full contents, including formatting and images, at the cursor. The same steps work in Word 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365.
If you want to combine edits from two versions of the same document instead, use Review > Compare > Combine, covered below.
How to merge several documents into one
- Open the main document, or create a new blank one.
- Click where you want the next document’s content to start. Press Ctrl + Enter first if you want it on a new page.
- Click the Insert tab.
- In the Text group, click the arrow next to Object and choose Text from File.
- Select the file, or hold Ctrl and click several files.
- Click Insert.
- Save the combined document with File > Save As.
Control the order
When you select several files at once, Word inserts them in the order they’re listed in the dialog, which is usually alphabetical. To control the order, either insert files one at a time, or rename them with numbers first, like “01 Intro,” “02 Methods,” “03 Results.”
Keep formatting consistent
- Styles may change: If documents use styles with the same names but different settings, the main document’s style definitions win. Check headings after merging.
- Different page layouts: Each inserted document’s section settings (like orientation or margins) come along if it ends with a section break. Insert a Next Page section break before each file to keep layouts separate.
- Headers and footers: Headers from inserted files may replace or link to the main document’s. Review them after merging.
Combine two versions with tracked changes
- Click Review > Compare > Combine.
- Choose the Original document and the Revised document.
- Click OK. Word creates a new document showing both sets of changes as tracked changes.
Repeat to combine more reviewers’ copies. See how to merge comments from two Word documents and how to compare two documents in Word.
Other options
- Copy and paste works for short documents. Use Paste Options > Keep Source Formatting to preserve the look.
- Master documents (View > Outline > Show Document > Insert) link subdocuments without copying them, but they can be fragile. Most people are better off with Text from File.
- Combining PDFs instead? See how to merge PDFs on Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Can I merge documents in Word Online?
Word for the web doesn’t have Text from File. Open the files in the desktop app, or copy and paste.
Will tracked changes and comments come along?
Yes, Text from File brings in tracked changes and comments from the inserted document.
Can I insert just part of a file?
Yes. Add a bookmark around the section in the source file, then in the Insert File dialog click Range and enter the bookmark name.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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