How to Merge Two or More Microsoft Word Documents

Scott Orgera is a former Lifewire writer covering tech since 2007. He has 25+ years' experience as a programmer and QA leader, and holds several Microsoft certifications including MCSE, MCP+I, and MOUS. He is also A+ certified.

What to Know

• Open the Word file that is the main document. Position the cursor at the insert location.
• Go to the Insert tab. Select Text >Object >Object >Create from File.
• Select Browse in Windows (From File in macOS) and locate the second file. Select OK (or Insert on macOS).

This article explains how to combine two or more Microsoft Word documents into one document. It also includes information on merging different versions of a document into a single document. This article applies to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and Word for Mac.

Merge Two or More Word Documents

When you want to combine multiple Microsoft Word documents into one, copying content from each and pasting it into another document isn't efficient. Here's the best way to merge Word documents into one primary file.

1. Open the file you wish to serve as the main document.

Go to the Insert tab, located near the upper-left corner of Word.

In the Text section, select Object.

Choose Text from File if you want to insert plain text from a source file and aren't concerned with maintaining the formatting or retaining the images.

In the Object dialog box, go to the Create from File tab.

Select Browse on Windows, or From File on macOS.

Merge Different Versions of a Single Document

When several people work on a single document, you have multiple versions of the same document. These versions can also be merged into one primary file without manually copying and pasting. However, the process for doing so is a bit different than detailed above.

1. Go to the Review tab.

Select Compare.

In the drop-down menu, select Combine or Combine Documents.

In the Combine Documents dialog box, select the main document. Either select the Original document drop-down arrow and choose the file or select the folder icon.

Choose the document to merge with the main document. Select the Revised document drop-down arrow and choose the file containing the changes.

Select the More button in Windows or the down arrow in macOS. This presents several optional settings that dictate how the two files are compared, along with how changes appear in the new document.