Split PDF
Most PDFs you receive are bigger than what you actually need, a 40 page report when you only care about pages 3 to 7, or one scanned bundle of twenty invoices that should be twenty separate files. This split PDF tool pulls exactly the pages you want out of any PDF and saves them as a brand new file: free, no sign up, no watermark. You type the pages, single pages, ranges like 1 to 3, 8, 15 to 16, or a mix, and everything happens right in your browser, so the file never leaves your device. Pages are numbered from 1, duplicates are dropped automatically, and the extracted pages keep their original quality. Extract a custom page range, split every page into its own file, or separate odd and even pages for double sided printing, all processed right in your browser so your document never leaves your device.
Last updated: October 22, 2026
The formula
Pages are numbered from 1, the first page of your PDF is page 1.A range written as a-b includes every page from a through b.Selected pages are saved in ascending order in the new PDF.Pages listed twice are only included once, duplicates are removed automatically.
A worked example
A 20 page PDF and the range "1 to 3, 8, 15 to 16" produces a new 6 page PDF containing pages 1, 2, 3, 8, 15 and 16.
More about the Split PDF
Why splitting beats emailing the whole file
Email providers and upload forms love their attachment caps, 10 MB here, 25 MB there, and a bloated PDF sails straight past them. When a contract, portfolio or bank statement is too big to send, splitting out just the pages the other person needs usually brings it under the limit without touching quality.
There is a privacy angle too. Forwarding an entire 60 page file to share two pages means handing over the other 58, internal notes included. Extracting just the relevant pages keeps the rest to yourself, a habit worth building if you handle client documents.
The page range format, in ten seconds
The only thing to learn is the range syntax: write single pages and ranges separated by commas, like 1 to 3, 8, 15 to 16. Ranges include both endpoints, pages are numbered from 1 (the first page of your PDF is page 1), and if you list a page twice it appears only once, the tool dedupes for you.
A common mistake is typing 0 for the first page or guessing the total. Check the page count in your PDF reader first, then write your ranges. The extracted pages land in the new file in ascending order, not the order you typed, which keeps the result tidy.
What splitting will not do
Splitting copies pages into a new file, it never deletes pages from your original, so the source document stays untouched. It cannot open a PDF that needs a password you do not have; unlock it first, then split.
And one honest limit: if your PDF is a scan, the extracted pages are still images of text, not searchable text. Splitting never adds searchability, for that you need an OCR tool, not a page extractor.
Splitting for print shops and forms
Print shops often want single page PDFs, not a 40 page booklet, split out the pages they need and you skip the 'which pages?' email chain. Same for upload forms that ask for 'page 1 of your statement': one extracted page uploads instantly where the full file might exceed the size cap.
Name the output files as you download them (statement jan p3.pdf beats split output 2.pdf). Future you, searching for that page in six months, will be grateful.
Keeping the originals organized
Splitting multiplies files, so have a folder habit: keep originals in one folder, extracts in another, and never delete the original until the extract has done its job. A split PDF is a derivative, useful, but not the record.
If you split the same source repeatedly (monthly statements, recurring reports), the page ranges are often identical each time. Jot the range down once, 'statement pages: 1 to 2, 8', and retyping it monthly takes seconds.
Splitting without losing track
When a single source spawns many extracts, name each output the moment you download it: 'contract exhibit A.pdf' tells you everything, 'split 3.pdf' tells you nothing. A thirty second rename now saves a twenty minute hunt later.
For legal or compliance work, keep a simple log: source file, pages extracted, date, purpose. If anyone ever asks 'where did this come from?', the log answers in seconds. Extracts are derivatives, treat the source as the record.
And one workflow tip: if you regularly pull the same pages from updated versions of a document (monthly reports, revised contracts), save the page range in a note. The ranges rarely change, and retyping '1 to 3, 8, 15 to 16' beats re discovering it every month.
Splitting password protected sources
If the PDF you are splitting is password protected, you will need to unlock it first, splitting tools cannot read encrypted files. Unlock it (with the owner's password), save the unlocked copy, then split that.
For a file with both a user password and an owner password, the user password is what you need to open it. If you only need to extract pages (not edit), some tools accept the user password directly, but unlocking first is the reliable path.
After splitting a sensitive document, remember the extracts are NOT password protected even if the source was. Re protect any extract that needs it, or you have silently downgraded the document's security.
Planning a split around recipients instead of page counts
Start from who needs what, and the page ranges write themselves. Suppose a 60 page file holds a signed agreement in pages 1 to 3, an ID copy on page 8 and bank statements on pages 15 and 16, and three different people each need one piece. A single extraction of 1 to 3, 8, 15 to 16 gives you one six page PDF, but the better move is three separate runs, one per recipient, so nobody receives pages meant for someone else.
Size follows pages only roughly, and it is worth understanding why before you promise anyone a small file. If the 60 page original weighs 18 MB, six average pages suggest about 1.8 MB, because 18 divided by 60 is 0.3 MB a page and 6 times 0.3 is 1.8. Pages carrying full bleed scans or photographs can each weigh more than the whole text only rest, though, so treat that estimate as a guide. Split first, check the actual size, and only then attach it to the email.
Split, extract and delete: three jobs people confuse
These three operations sound alike and produce very different files. Splitting divides a document into parts, extract — the job this tool does — copies chosen pages into a new file while the original stays whole, and deleting pages removes pages from a copy so what remains is the document. Choose extract when you need a handout from a larger file, and delete-pages thinking when you need the larger file itself, minus a few pages, for a submission portal.
The mistake that causes real trouble is sending an extracted file while believing you sent the document, or the reverse: forwarding the full file when only two pages were requested. A ten second habit prevents both. Before attaching anything, open the result and check its page count in the reader against the count you intended, six pages planned means six pages in the file, not sixty with the right pages somewhere inside.
How to use the Split PDF
- Choose a PDF file from your device.
- Type the pages you want, e.g. 1 to 3, 5, 8 to 10.
- Click "Extract pages" to build the new PDF.
- Click "Download split PDF" to save it to your device.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account to split a PDF?
None at all. Open the page, choose your file, type the pages you want, and download the result. No email, no sign up, and no watermark stamped on the extracted pages.
How do I split out just pages 5 to 9?
Type 5 to 9 in the page field and extract. You get a new PDF containing exactly those five pages, in order, with everything else left behind in the original file.
Can I pull several separate sections out in one go?
Yes, mix singles and ranges with commas, like 1 to 2, 10 to 12, 25. They all land in one new PDF in ascending page order. Each run is free, so splitting a document into many separate files just takes a few quick passes.
Does splitting change my original PDF?
No. The tool copies the selected pages into a brand new file; your original is never modified. If the result is not what you expected, the source is still sitting there untouched.
Why did the split fail on my password protected PDF?
Because the browser cannot read a file it cannot open. If the PDF needs a password to view, enter it in a reader or use the Unlock PDF tool first (you need the actual password. It cannot crack one), then split the unlocked copy.
Can I split a PDF into odd and even pages?
Run it twice, once with the odd pages (1, 3, 5..) and once with the evens (2, 4, 6..). Odd/even splits are the classic trick for separating a scanned double sided document back into its original single sided order, or for laying out booklets.
Can I use the split tool to delete pages from a PDF?
Effectively, yes. Instead of thinking about deleting pages, think about keeping the ones you want: type the page numbers you want to keep into the Split PDF tool, and it builds a brand new PDF containing only those pages. The pages you leave out are simply not included, so the result is your original minus the unwanted sections. Your original file is never changed in the process.
Can I split a PDF into pieces small enough to email?
That is one of the most common reasons people split PDFs. Pull a section of pages out with the Split PDF tool, download it, and check whether the new file fits comfortably under your email provider's attachment limit. If it is still too big, split the section into smaller chunks and send them in a couple of messages instead of one. Pairing this with the compress tool afterwards can also help a large piece slip under the limit.
Can I split a PDF at its bookmarks or chapter headings?
Not automatically with a page range tool, because the range field works on page numbers rather than document structure. The practical workaround is quick: open the PDF, note the page number where each chapter starts from the bookmarks panel, then run one extraction per chapter using those numbers. A six chapter report becomes six short runs, and naming each output after its chapter keeps the set tidy.
How do I break a long PDF into equal chunks, like every ten pages?
Run the extraction once per chunk with consecutive ranges: 1 to 10, then 11 to 20, then 21 to 30, and so on until you pass the final page, which usually gives you a shorter last chunk. Name the outputs in order as you go, part 01, part 02, because a folder of files all called output.pdf becomes confusing within minutes. Each run is independent, so an error in one chunk never affects the others.