A process for preparing polyoxymethylene dialkyl ethers of the formula H2m+1CmO(CH2O)nCmH2m+1 where n=2-10, m, identically or differently,=1 or 2, in which a dialkyl ether selected from dimethyl ether, methyl ethyl ether and diethyl ether, and trioxane are fed into a reactor and reacted in the presence of an acidic catalyst, the amount of water introduced into the reaction mixture by the dialkyl ether, trioxane and/or the catalyst being