Split a PDF into exactly the pages you need
PDFs love to arrive as monoliths: a 90-page scan that contains three different contracts, a textbook chapter buried inside a full semester pack, a single invoice lost in a year-end statement. Splitting lets you carve out just the part you need — to share one chapter with a student, send one signed page to a counterparty, or file each receipt separately. This Split PDF tool offers the two operations that cover virtually every real-world case: extract a custom page range into a new PDF, or burst the whole document so every page becomes its own file. Everything happens locally in your browser; the document never touches a server.
How to split a PDF
- Drop your PDF into the upload area. The tool reads it and shows the total page count.
- Choose a mode: Extract a page range or Save every page separately.
- For a range, type the pages you want using numbers and dashes — for example
1-3, 5, 8-10. - Click Split PDF and your new file(s) download immediately.
Understanding page-range syntax
The range field is flexible and forgiving. Single numbers pick individual pages, dashes define inclusive ranges, and commas combine as many pieces as you like. The selection 2, 5-7, 12 produces a five-page document containing pages 2, 5, 6, 7 and 12 — in ascending order. Out-of-range numbers are simply ignored, so you can never break the output by overshooting the document length.
When “every page separately” shines
Burst mode is the right choice when a scanner has bundled many independent documents into one file. Certificates, receipts, ID scans and signed forms usually need to live as individual files in an archive or accounting system. One click turns a 30-page bundle into 30 named files (document-page-1.pdf, document-page-2.pdf, …) without opening a single editor window. Your browser may ask permission to download multiple files — allow it once and the rest flows automatically.
Tips for clean results
- Check the page count first. The tool displays it as soon as the file loads — handy when the printed page numbers don't match the PDF's physical pages.
- Pages are copied losslessly, so text remains selectable and images keep their original resolution.
- Combine with Merge PDF. Split out the pages you need from several documents, then merge them into a new pack — a complete reorganisation workflow with two free tools.
- Confidential documents are safe precisely because nothing is uploaded; splitting an employment contract is as private as opening it in a desktop reader.
From pulling one exhibit out of a court bundle to turning a scanned book into per-chapter files, splitting is the fastest way to make a big PDF useful again.
Quick reference
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | One PDF file |
| Modes | Extract page range / every page as separate PDF |
| Range syntax | e.g. 1-3, 5, 8-10 (commas + dashes) |
| Output quality | Lossless page copies |
| Output names | file-pages.pdf or file-page-N.pdf |
| Processing | 100% in-browser, no upload |
| Cost | Free, unlimited use |
Frequently asked questions
Can I extract several separate ranges at once?
Yes. Combine ranges and single pages with commas — for example 1-3, 7, 10-12. All selected pages are placed into one new PDF in ascending order. To create several different output files, run the tool once per file.
Does splitting reduce the quality of my pages?
No. Pages are copied directly from the source document with fonts, vector graphics and images intact. Nothing is re-rendered or recompressed, so the output is pixel-identical to the original pages.
Why does my browser ask to allow multiple downloads?
In “every page separately” mode the tool triggers one download per page. Browsers ask for permission the first time a site downloads several files; allow it and all pages arrive at once.
Can I split a password-protected PDF?
If the file opens without asking you for a password (owner-restricted only), splitting usually works. Files that require a password to open must be unlocked first in a desktop reader.