Smart Merge: AI-Powered PDF Sorting & Duplicate Detection

Merging multiple PDF files is a common task, but arranging them in the right order can be tedious - especially when dealing with dozens of documents. That’s why we built Smart Merge, an AI-powered feature that automatically analyzes your PDFs and suggests the optimal sorting order.

What is Smart Merge?

Smart Merge is an intelligent assistant built into LocalPDF’s merge tool. When you upload multiple PDF files, it automatically:

• Extracts dates from document content and filenames
• Detects patterns in filenames (like “part1”, “chapter2”, “report_03”)
• Identifies duplicates by comparing content and file sizes
• Suggests sorting options with confidence scores

Best of all? Everything runs 100% locally in your browser. Your documents never leave your device.

Key Features

1. Automatic Date Detection

Smart Merge scans your PDFs and extracts dates from:

• Document content - Dates mentioned in the text (invoices, contracts, reports)
• Filenames - Patterns like 2024-01-15_report.pdf or report_15.01.2024.pdf
• PDF metadata - Creation and modification dates

It supports multiple date formats and languages including English, German, French, Spanish, and Russian.

2. One-Click Sorting

Once analysis is complete, you’ll see sorting suggestions:

Option	Description	Best For
Chronological	Oldest documents first	Historical archives, project timelines
Newest First	Most recent documents first	Monthly reports, correspondence
By Filename	Sorted by numbers in filenames	Numbered chapters, sequential parts
By Size	Largest files first	Prioritizing main documents

Each suggestion shows a confidence score based on how many documents have the required data.

3. Duplicate Detection

Uploading the same document twice? Smart Merge will warn you:

• Compares text content using smart hashing
• Considers file sizes and page counts
• Shows which files are similar
• One click to keep only the first copy

This is especially useful when merging documents from different folders where duplicates might exist.

How to Use Smart Merge

1. Open the Merge PDF tool
2. Upload 2 or more PDF files - drag & drop or click to select
3. Wait for analysis - Smart Merge automatically scans your documents (usually under 1 second)
4. Review suggestions - Click any sorting option to instantly reorder your files
5. Check for duplicates - Remove similar files if detected
6. Merge - Click the merge button to combine your sorted PDFs

You can also disable Smart Merge using the toggle switch if you prefer manual ordering.

Real-World Use Cases

Combining Monthly Reports

You have 12 monthly reports named inconsistently (Jan_Report.pdf, February-2024.pdf, march.pdf). Smart Merge detects dates from the content and offers chronological sorting - no manual reordering needed.

Archiving Project Documents

Merging various project documents accumulated over time? Smart Merge identifies duplicates (the same contract saved twice) and suggests date-based ordering.

Compiling Legal Documents

Combining contracts, amendments, and exhibits? Smart Merge detects the dates within each document and ensures they’re ordered correctly for legal compliance.

Organizing Scanned Documents

Even scanned PDFs with OCR text can be analyzed. Smart Merge extracts dates from the recognized text to suggest proper ordering.

Privacy First

Unlike cloud-based AI tools, Smart Merge runs entirely in your browser:

• No uploads - Your PDFs never leave your device
• No API calls - Analysis uses local JavaScript, not external services
• No data collection - We don’t see or store your documents
• Works offline - Once the page loads, Smart Merge works without internet

This makes it safe for sensitive documents like financial records, legal contracts, and personal information.

Technical Details

For those curious about how it works:

• Text extraction uses PDF.js (the same library Firefox uses)
• Date parsing supports 10+ regex patterns for different formats
• Duplicate detection uses SHA-256 hashing of text samples
• Analysis time is typically 50-200ms per document

The feature adds minimal overhead to the merge tool - only ~8KB gzipped.

Tips for Best Results

1. Use descriptive filenames - Files named with dates (2024-01-15_invoice.pdf) get higher confidence scores
2. Ensure text is selectable - For scanned PDFs, run OCR first using our OCR tool
3. Check confidence scores - Higher percentages mean more reliable sorting
4. Review before merging - Smart Merge is a suggestion tool, not a replacement for human judgment

Conclusion

Smart Merge transforms PDF merging from a manual chore into an intelligent, automated process. Whether you’re organizing a few documents or hundreds, the AI-powered sorting and duplicate detection save time while maintaining complete privacy.

Ready to try it? Open the Merge PDF tool and upload your files - Smart Merge activates automatically.

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Related guides:

• How to Merge PDF Files
• Compress PDF Without Losing Quality
• PDF Security Best Practices