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Split PDF files

Splitting a PDF extracts a chosen set of pages into one or more new documents. Pages are selected by number and range, such as "1-3, 5, 8-10", which yields 7 pages. Extracted pages keep their original dimensions, fonts and image data because content streams are copied rather than re-rendered, so nothing is degraded.

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How to split a PDF

  1. 01

    Add your PDF

    Drag a single PDF onto the drop zone or click to choose one. The tool reads and displays the page count immediately.

  2. 02

    Choose how to split

    Extract specific pages into one file, split into parts of a fixed number of pages, or separate every page into its own document.

  3. 03

    Enter the pages you want

    Type page numbers and ranges separated by commas, such as "1-3, 5, 8-10". A live count confirms how many pages are selected before anything runs.

  4. 04

    Split and download

    Press Split PDF, then download the resulting file or files. Each output keeps the original page size and quality.

The formula

selection = union of ranges, clamped to 1…n and deduplicated;    parts = ⌈n ÷ k⌉
n
The number of pages in the source document.
ranges
Comma-separated page numbers and ranges, such as "1-3, 5, 8-10".
selection
The union of every range, clamped to the document, deduplicated and sorted ascending.
k
The pages per part, when splitting a document into fixed-size chunks.
parts
The number of output files produced, the last of which may be shorter.

Ranges are inclusive at both ends, so "1-3" is three pages, not two. Overlapping ranges are merged rather than duplicated, and a range extending past the last page is clamped instead of erroring — asking for "8-100" of a 10-page document yields pages 8, 9 and 10.

Worked example

Source
report.pdf — 24 pages
Mode
Extract specific pages
Pages
1-3, 5, 8-10
Result
report-pages-1-3-5-8-10.pdf — 7 pages

The range "1-3" contributes pages 1, 2 and 3. The single page "5" adds one more. The range "8-10" adds pages 8, 9 and 10. The union holds 3 + 1 + 3 = 7 distinct pages, sorted ascending and clamped to the 24-page document. Those 7 pages are copied into a new PDF in ascending order regardless of the order they were typed, so entering "8-10, 1-3, 5" produces exactly the same file.

Frequently asked questions

How do you extract specific pages from a PDF?

Choose "Extract specific pages", then type the page numbers and ranges you want, separated by commas — for example "1-3, 5, 8-10". Both ends of a range are included, so "1-3" gives three pages. The tool shows how many pages the selection covers before you run it, which catches a mistyped range before a file is produced.

Can a PDF be split into separate files for every page?

Yes. Choose "Split every page into its own PDF" and a 24-page document produces 24 single-page files, each named after the source with a part number appended. Every output is downloaded individually, and each one keeps the page dimensions and embedded resources of the original page.

Does splitting a PDF reduce quality?

No. Splitting copies each page's content stream unchanged into a new document rather than re-rendering it. Text stays selectable and searchable, vector graphics stay sharp at any zoom, and images keep their original compression. The extracted pages are byte-for-byte equivalent in content to the pages they came from.

Why is an extracted single page still a large file?

A page carries its dependencies. If page 5 uses an embedded font, that font subset is copied into the new document even though only one page needs it. Scanned pages behave the same way: a single 300 DPI scanned page can be several megabytes on its own. Compressing the extracted file afterwards is the way to reduce it.

What happens if a page range goes past the end of the document?

The range is clamped rather than rejected. Asking for "8-100" in a 10-page document yields pages 8, 9 and 10. A page number entirely outside the document is ignored, and overlapping ranges such as "1-5, 3-7" are merged into a single run of pages 1 to 7 rather than duplicating pages 3, 4 and 5.

Are files uploaded when splitting a PDF?

No upload occurs. The document is read from local disk into browser memory, parsed by the pdf-lib library running as JavaScript in this page, and the extracted pages are written back out as a download. This site has no server-side code that could receive a file, so a confidential document stays on the device it was opened on.

Sources

Last reviewed: · Formula and sources verified by Syed Aqeel Ahmad Gillani. See the methodology for how every calculation is derived.

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