How to Split a PDF and Extract the Pages You Need

What does splitting a PDF do here?

This tool extracts. You choose which pages to keep, and it builds one new PDF called split.pdf containing those pages. Pages are copied, not re-rendered, so text stays selectable and quality is unchanged.

It does not cut a file into many separate files in one go. To make several pieces, run it once per piece with a different page range each time.

How do I write a page range?

Type page numbers and ranges separated by commas. A range uses a hyphen between the first and last page. Spaces are fine.

Page numbers must exist in the document. Asking for page 12 in a 10-page file shows an error so you can correct it before anything is created.

Can I reorder pages while splitting?

Yes, with a typed range. Pages appear in split.pdf in the order you type them, so 5,1-4 moves page five to the front. Each page is included once, so typing a page twice does not duplicate it.

Ticking pages in the checkbox list is quicker for picking scattered pages, but it always writes them in ascending page order. Use typing when the order matters.

How do I delete pages from a PDF?

Select every page except the ones you want to remove. For a 12-page file where pages 4 and 9 should go, type 1-3,5-8,10-12. The resulting split.pdf is the document without those pages.

To check how many pages a file has before writing a range, use the PDF Page Counter, or simply look at the page list the splitter shows once the file is loaded.

What are the limits?

The splitter takes one PDF at a time, up to 80 pages and 20 MB. Password-protected files cannot be opened. If your document is longer, a desktop PDF editor is better suited to the job, or you can work with an unprotected copy split into smaller parts elsewhere.

How do splitting and merging work together?

Splitting and merging are two halves of rearranging documents. Extract the pages you need from several files with the splitter, then join the results in any order with the PDF Merger. That lets you build a new document from pieces of others, for example a report with selected pages from three sources.

When is splitting a PDF useful?

Common reasons include sending only the signed page of a contract, pulling one invoice from a combined statement, removing blank scanned pages, sharing a single chapter from a manual, or uploading only the pages a form asks for when there is a size limit.

If you need a page as an image rather than a PDF, for a slide or a social post, convert it with the PDF to JPG tool instead.

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. The file is read and the new PDF is built in your browser tab, then saved directly to your device. Your original file is left as it was.

What are some tips for writing page ranges?

Write ranges from the lowest page number to the highest, separate pieces with commas, and avoid leaving a trailing comma at the end, which counts as an empty range and shows an error. Spaces around commas and hyphens are ignored, so 1 - 3, 5 works as well as 1-3,5.

For reverse order, list pages individually, such as 5,4,3,2,1. Ranges themselves always count upward, so a reversed range like 5-1 is rejected with a message telling you to put the lower page first.

Should I tick pages or type a range?

Ticking is easiest when you can see the pages you want and they are scattered, such as pages 2, 7 and 11 in a short file. Ticking writes the matching range into the box for you, always in ascending order.

Typing is faster for long runs of pages, such as 1-40, and it is the only way to change page order. You can also start by ticking pages, then edit the typed range to rearrange them before you split.

How do I tidy a scanned document?

Scanners often add blank backs of pages or put a page in the wrong place. Load the scan, note the blank page numbers from the page list, and type a range that skips them. If a page is out of order, type the pages in the correct sequence. The result is a clean copy you can send or archive, while the original scan stays untouched as a backup.

What do the error messages mean?

If you ask for a page number higher than the document has, the tool tells you which part of the range is out of bounds. An empty piece, such as two commas in a row, asks you to remove the empty range. Text that is not a page number, like a letter, is reported as invalid. In each case nothing is created until the range is fixed, so you never download a file with the wrong pages.

If the file itself will not open, it is either password-protected or damaged. Unlock a file you own in a PDF reader, or download a fresh copy, and then try again.

How do I break a long PDF into several parts?

Run the splitter once for each part. For a 60-page document you want in three equal parts, split with 1-20 and save the file, then load the original again and use 21-40, then 41-60. Rename each split.pdf as you go, for example part-1, part-2 and part-3, so the downloads do not overwrite or confuse each other.

Does the split file keep text searchable?

Yes. Pages are copied as they are, so selectable text stays selectable and searchable, and images keep their original resolution. The file size of split.pdf is usually close to the share of the original that those pages took up.

How to split a PDF

1. Add one PDF. Choose a PDF of up to 80 pages and 20 MB.
2. Choose pages. Type a range such as 1-3,5,8-10, or tick pages in the list.
3. Split. Press split to create a new PDF with only those pages.
4. Download split.pdf. Save the file and open it to confirm the pages and their order.

Example

Tips and limitations

FAQ

How do I extract specific pages from a PDF?

Type the pages, for example 1-3,5,8-10, or tick them in the list, then press split and download split.pdf.

Can I split a PDF into several files at once?

No. Each run creates one file. Run it again with a different range for each piece.

Does the page order follow what I type?

Yes. Typed pages appear in the order you type them. Ticked pages are written in ascending order.

Can I duplicate a page?

No. Repeated pages are included only once.

Why does 5-3 give an error?

Ranges must go from the lower to the higher page number. Write 3-5, or type 5,4,3 for reverse order.

How do I remove pages from a PDF?

Select all the pages except the ones you want removed, then split.

What is the page limit?

Up to 80 pages per PDF, and the file can be up to 20 MB.

Can I split a password-protected PDF?

No. Protected files cannot be opened by the tool.

Does splitting reduce quality?

No. Pages are copied as they are, so text and images are unchanged.

Is my file uploaded?

No. Splitting happens in your browser and the original is not modified.

How do I split every page into its own file?

Choose a single-page split mode or enter each page as its own range when building outputs.

Can I split before and after a cover sheet?

Make ranges that isolate page 1, then another range for the remaining body pages.

Does splitting preserve PDF/A status?

Not guaranteed—revalidate if archival compliance still matters after the split.

What happens to document-level JavaScript?

Document scripts may not carry into every shard; test interactive PDFs after splitting.

Can I split by file-size target?

This tool splits by page ranges; compress afterward if email size is the real goal.

How should I label many output files?

Include the source name and page span in each filename for easy reassembly.

Is extracting the same as deleting pages?

Extraction saves chosen pages; deletion rebuilds a file without the removed ones—pick the intent you need.

Can landscape and portrait pages split together?

Yes—orientation stays per page inside each output file.

Why did a split PDF lose search highlights I had saved?

Viewer-specific markups are not always embedded; export comments first if you need them.

Do split files share the original password?

Unlocked splits are typically open; re-encrypt outputs if confidentiality still applies.

Sources and further reading

• PDF 1.7 / ISO 32000-1 format description (Library of Congress)