Split a PDF or extract only the pages you need. Your file never leaves your device.
How to use
- Choose a PDF from your device.
- Type the pages or ranges you want, separated by commas.
- Press Split PDF and download your new file or files.
Good to know
Page numbers start at 1. Password protected files cannot be opened. If your browser asks to allow multiple downloads, choose Allow. Explore more on the Tools page.
Split a PDF in your browser
Sometimes a PDF is bigger than you need. You may want only the first three pages of a report, the signed page of a contract, or a single chapter from a long document. This tool lets you pick the pages you need and save them as a new PDF, or save each chosen page as its own file. It works directly in your browser, so your document is never uploaded to a server. That makes it a good choice for private papers such as invoices, ID copies, certificates and school forms.
How to split a PDF step by step
- Press the file button and select a PDF from your computer or phone.
- In the pages box, type the pages you want. You can enter single pages, ranges or a mix, for example
1-3,5,8-10. - Choose whether you want one combined PDF with those pages or a separate PDF for each page.
- Press Split PDF. The browser downloads the new file or files.
Page numbers start at 1 and follow the order of the original document. If you type a page that does not exist, the tool tells you the valid range, so you can fix it right away. Duplicate pages are ignored, and the pages in the new file keep the same order as in your range.
Page range examples
1keeps only the first page.1-5keeps pages one to five.2,4,6keeps pages two, four and six.3-5,9keeps pages three to five and page nine.
When splitting a PDF is useful
Splitting is helpful when an email service limits attachment size and you want to send only the relevant section. It also helps when you need to submit a single page to a portal, share a chapter with a classmate, remove cover pages and blank pages, or break a scanned stack into separate documents. Because you decide what to keep, you can also cut sensitive pages out before sharing a file. Remember that the original file is unchanged, so keep it safe in case you need other pages later.
How it works in the background
The tool uses an open source library called pdf-lib, which reads the structure of your PDF in the browser. It creates a new empty document and copies the selected pages into it, then saves the result as a standard PDF that you can open in any viewer. No external server processes your file. The only network request is for the library itself, which is loaded from a public content delivery network the first time you press Split PDF.
Limitations
- Password protected or encrypted PDFs cannot be opened. Remove the password first using your PDF viewer.
- Very large files, such as scans with hundreds of high resolution pages, may be slow on phones because the work uses your device memory.
- Copying pages keeps their content, but some features of the original document, such as interactive form fields, bookmarks or links between pages, may not carry over.
- Separate downloads are limited to thirty pages at a time to keep your browser from being flooded with files.
Tips for better results
Before splitting, open the PDF in a viewer and note the page numbers you want. Printed page numbers in the document may differ from the position of the page in the file, especially if the PDF has cover pages. Always use the position counted from the first page. After splitting, open the new file to confirm that everything is correct. If the file is still large, our Image Compressor can shrink images before you convert them with the Images to PDF Converter, and the PDF Merger joins several files into one again.
Privacy and safety
Your PDF stays on your device. The page does not store the file, and closing the tab removes everything from memory. Even so, avoid using any online tool on devices you do not trust. If you are handling highly confidential documents, work on a private device and delete downloaded copies when you finish.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to split a PDF here?
Yes. There is no sign up and no limit on how many times you use it, other than your device memory.
Will the quality change?
No. Pages are copied as they are, without recompression of text or images.
Can I split a PDF into single pages?
Yes. Enter the range, for example 1-10, and choose the option for each page as its own file.
Why does it say the file cannot be opened?
The PDF may be encrypted or damaged. Remove the password or try another copy.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes, in modern mobile browsers, although large files can be slow.
Common situations and the page ranges to use
- Remove the cover page: if the file has 12 pages, enter 2-12.
- Keep only the signature page: enter the number of that page, for example 9.
- Take the first half: for a 20 page file enter 1-10.
- Skip blank pages: list the pages you want, such as 1-4,6-9.
- Extract odd pages: enter 1,3,5,7 and so on.
Reducing a PDF to fit an upload limit
Many job portals, government sites and email services have file size limits. If your document is too large, splitting out the necessary pages is often enough. If it is still big because of high resolution scans, you can rebuild it from compressed images with our Image Compressor and Images to PDF Converter.
Keeping your files organised
- Name the output clearly, for example invoice-march-page-1.pdf.
- Keep the original in a safe folder.
- Delete temporary copies from your downloads folder after use.
- If you need the pages joined again later, use the PDF Merger.
Troubleshooting
If nothing downloads, check that your browser has not blocked the file or pop up. If the file is flagged as encrypted, open it in a PDF viewer, save a copy without a password and try again. If a page looks different after splitting, open both files in the same viewer, because fonts and rendering can vary between programs.