Organize
Split PDF
Break one PDF into several, or pull out just the pages you need. Splitting happens in your browser, so the file is never uploaded.
Runs on your device: your file is not uploaded
Drag and drop here
PDFOne PDF up to 50 MB
What Split PDF does
Split PDF gives you five ways to divide a document. Split visually places cut points between page thumbnails. Custom groups lets you type the pages for each new file. Every N pages cuts at a regular interval. Extract pages saves your selection as one PDF, and One PDF per page saves each selected page separately.
Your browser does the work on your own device, and the PDF is not sent to our server, which suits payroll files, medical records and anything else you would rather not upload.
Pages are copied without being re-encoded, so text stays selectable and images stay sharp. Form fields and bookmarks on the pages you keep come along. Download the new files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Is this the right tool?
Good for
- Pulling one chapter, invoice or signed page out of a long document.
- Cutting a bulk scan of many forms into one file per form.
- Sending part of a report without the confidential appendix.
- Getting a large PDF past an email limit by sending it in parts.
Not the right tool for
- Removing a few pages while keeping the rest in one file. Deleting them is quicker.Organize PDF
- Making one file smaller without dividing it.Compress PDF
- Turning pages into JPG or PNG pictures.PDF to JPG
How to split a PDF
Open your PDF
Choose the PDF you want to split, up to 50 MB, or drop it on the page.
Pick a split method
Under Split method choose Split visually, Custom groups, Every N pages, Extract pages or One PDF per page.
Mark where to cut
For Split visually, select Split here under the last page of each section. Otherwise type page numbers such as 1-3, 5 or click the thumbnails.
Create and download
Files you'll get lists each new file with its pages. Select the Create button, then download files individually or choose Download all ZIP.
Worked example
One scan, twelve expense claims
Say the office scanner produced one 36-page PDF holding twelve expense claims of three pages each, and the finance system wants one file per claim.
Open the scan, choose Every N pages and enter 3 under Pages per PDF. Files you'll get now lists twelve files. Set the Filename prefix to something like expenses-march so they are numbered in order.
If one claim runs to four pages because of an extra receipt, a fixed interval no longer fits. Use Split visually and place each cut by eye. Then create the files and select Download all ZIP.
Tips for a better result
- Shift-click a thumbnail to select every page between it and your last click.
- In Custom groups and Extract pages, the order you type is the order you get, so 5, 1-3 puts page 5 first.
- Page numbers mean the position in the file, not the number printed on the page; a cover and a contents page push printed page 1 to the third position.
Split PDF: questions and answers
Does splitting a PDF lower the quality of the pages?
No. Each page is copied into its new file exactly as it is: same text, same fonts, same image resolution. Nothing is converted to a picture.
Why are my split files almost as big as the original?
Pages in a PDF often share resources, such as a font or logo stored once and used throughout. Each new file has to carry its own copy of whatever its pages use, so the parts can add up to more than the whole. If size is the goal, compress the parts.
Can I split a PDF by bookmarks or by file size?
Not directly. Split PDF cuts by page position: at points you place, at a fixed interval, or by page lists you type. To split by chapter, find where each chapter starts in the thumbnails and place a cut there.
How many files can I create from one PDF?
Up to 200 files in one go, with a combined size of 100 MB. For more than that, split the document into halves first and then split each half.