A method for adhesively bonding two substrates using an adhesive film that bonds adhesively by activation with heat, wherein the adhesive film is not adhesive at room temperature, in a first step the adhesive film is laminated in a heated state onto the first of the substrates to be adhesively bonded, after the lamination, the side of the adhesive film that is not in contact with the first substrate to be adhesively bonded is initially exposed in order to be able to be brought into contact with the second substrate to be adhesively bonded, the adhesive film is activated by irradiating with electromagnetic radiation in the near infrared range (NIR), by heating to a temperature TK above the lowest activation temperature TA,u, and the adhesive bonding with the second substrate to be adhesively bonded is brought about by means of the activation by the NIR radiation.