Split PDF: what it means to split a PDF file

To split a PDF is to take pages out of one document and save them as new, separate files. Your original stays exactly as it was; you get a copy that contains only the pages you asked for. Page content is copied as-is, so text stays selectable and images keep their quality.

This tool has two modes. Extract pages builds one new PDF from a list of pages or ranges. Split into single pages turns every page into its own PDF and gives you all of them in one ZIP file. Both run inside your browser tab.

Worked examples

Pulling one chapter out of a 40-page report

A colleague needs pages 12 to 18 of a 40-page report. Choose Extract pages, type 12-18 and click Split PDF. You get one file, named after the original with “-pages” added, containing 7 pages (18 − 12 + 1 = 7). Once the file loads, the label beside the box shows the valid range, (1–40) here, so you can check you’re in bounds.

Putting pages in a new order

Pages are added in the order you type them. Entering 5, 1-3 gives a 4-page PDF ordered 5, 1, 2, 3, which is handy for moving a summary page to the front. Duplicates are skipped and numbers beyond the last page are ignored.

Breaking a 12-page scan into single pages

A portal wants each document uploaded separately, but you scanned them as one 12-page file. Choose Split into single pages and click Split PDF. The ZIP holds 12 files named yourfile-page-1.pdf to yourfile-page-12.pdf. Unzip it (double-click on Windows or Mac, or open it in the Files app on Android or iPhone) to get the individual PDFs.

Page range examples

You type	Pages in the new PDF	Page count
3	3	1
1-5	1, 2, 3, 4, 5	5
1-3, 7, 10-12	1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 12	7
10, 1-2	10, 1, 2 (in that order)	3
8-5	5, 6, 7, 8 (a backwards range is read forwards)	4
2-4, 3	2, 3, 4 (the repeated 3 is ignored)	3

When splitting a PDF is useful

• Upload limits: send only the pages a form asks for, such as one page of a bank statement instead of all twenty.
• Sharing selectively: pass on one section of a contract or report without exposing the rest.
• Pulling out one document: get a single payslip, marksheet or certificate out of a combined scan.
• Deleting pages: to drop page 4 from a 10-page file, extract 1-3, 5-10.
• Reordering: type the pages in the order you want them, as shown above.
• Building a new bundle: extract the pages you need from several files, then combine them with the merge tool.

More questions

How do I split a PDF into several files, like pages 1-5 and 6-10?

Extract mode makes one file per run. Enter 1-5, click Split PDF and download, then change the box to 6-10 and run it again. The PDF stays loaded between runs. If you want one file for every page, use Split into single pages instead.

Does splitting a PDF reduce the file size?

The extracted file is usually smaller because it has fewer pages, but not always in proportion. Fonts and images used on a page come along with it, so one image-heavy page can still be large. To shrink it further, use the compress tool.

How can I delete pages from a PDF for free?

Extract every page you want to keep and leave the rest out. For example, to remove pages 4 and 9 from a 12-page PDF, type 1-3, 5-8, 10-12. The new file has 10 pages and your original is not changed.

Can I split a password-protected PDF?

Encrypted PDFs may not split correctly. If the file needs a password to open, open it in your PDF reader, save or print an unlocked copy, and split that copy instead.

Related tools: put extracted pages back together with Merge PDF, fix sideways pages with Rotate PDF, or make the result smaller with Compress PDF.

Further reading: pdf-lib, the open-source library behind this tool.