Splitting a PDF means taking one PDF file and pulling out the pages you want, either as a single smaller PDF or as one file per page. The tool below splits your PDF entirely in your browser, so the document never leaves your device and nothing is uploaded to a server.
What Splitting a PDF Means
A PDF is a single container that holds an ordered set of pages. Splitting it means selecting some of those pages and writing them out as a new file, while leaving the original untouched. You might keep a range of pages and drop the rest, or break a long document into one file per page so each can be shared on its own. Either way, the page content stays exactly as it was; only the grouping changes.
How to Use It
- Choose the PDF file you want to split.
- Type the pages you want in the range box, such as 1-3, 5, 8-10. Leave it blank to use every page.
- Pick a mode: extract the chosen pages as one PDF, or split each chosen page into its own file.
- Press Split PDF.
- Download the result. In split-each mode you get one download link per page.
Page-Range Syntax
Extract vs Split Each
| Mode | What you get | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Extract these pages as one PDF | A single new PDF containing only the pages you listed, in order. | You want a shorter document, like pulling chapter 2 or removing an appendix. |
| Split each page into its own PDF | One single-page PDF per selected page, named page-1.pdf, page-2.pdf, and so on. | You need each page as a separate file, like splitting a batch of scanned forms. |
How It Runs in Your Browser
This tool uses pdf-lib, a JavaScript library that reads and writes PDF files directly in the browser. When you choose a file, it is loaded into memory on your own device, the pages you asked for are copied into a new PDF, and that new file is handed back to you as a download. There is no upload step. The original file and every page you extract stay on your machine, which means you can split private contracts, statements, or scans without sending them across the internet.
Your File Stays Private
Because the split happens locally, nothing about your document is transmitted, logged, or stored on a server. You can confirm this by disconnecting from the internet and watching the tool still work. The split runs the same way offline as online, since all the processing takes place inside the browser tab.
When to Use It
Splitting is the right move whenever a PDF holds more than the person on the other end needs. Send a client only the invoice pages instead of the full ledger, separate a single signed form from a stack of scans, trim a long report down to the section you want to review, or break a merged document back into its parts. If you instead need to combine files, use the PDF merge tool, and if you are starting from images, the image to PDF tool builds a PDF first.
Last Thoughts on Splitting a PDF
Splitting a PDF is about sharing the right pages and nothing more. Type the range you want, choose whether you need one trimmed file or a file per page, and the tool writes the result on your device without an upload. The original stays as it is, so you can split as many times as you like without risk to the source document.
Split your next PDF above, then explore the rest of our free online tools, including the PDF merge tool for joining files back together and the JSON formatter for cleaning up data files.
Key Takeaways:
- Splitting a PDF extracts the pages you choose into a new file and leaves the original unchanged.
- Write the range with hyphens and commas, such as 1-3, 5, 8-10; page numbers start at 1.
- Extract mode produces one trimmed PDF; split-each mode produces one PDF per page, named page-N.pdf.
- The split runs in your browser with pdf-lib, so your file is never uploaded.
- Out-of-range numbers are ignored and duplicates are removed, so the output stays clean and ordered.
- Use it to share only the pages someone needs instead of the whole document.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is my PDF uploaded when I split it?
No. The split runs entirely inside your browser using the pdf-lib library. Your file is read from your device into memory, the new PDF is created locally, and nothing is sent to a server. You can confirm this by going offline and watching the tool still work.
How do I write the page range?
Use hyphens for spans and commas to separate parts. For example, 1-3, 5, 8-10 selects pages 1, 2, 3, then 5, then 8, 9, and 10. Page numbers start at 1 and follow the order of the file. Leave the box blank to include every page.
What is the difference between the two modes?
Extract mode gathers all the pages you listed into one new PDF. Split-each mode writes each selected page out as its own single-page file, named page-1.pdf, page-2.pdf, and so on. Choose extract for a shorter document, and split-each when you need every page as a separate file.
What happens if I type a page number that does not exist?
Numbers larger than the document are ignored, and duplicates are removed automatically. The output keeps only valid pages, each once, in order. If no valid pages are found, the tool falls back to using every page.
Does splitting change the original PDF?
No. The original file is only read, never modified. The pages you choose are copied into a brand new PDF that you download, so you can split the same document as many times as you want without affecting it.
Can it split a password-protected PDF?
An encrypted PDF cannot be read until it is unlocked, so remove the password in your PDF reader first, then split the unprotected copy here. If a file fails to load, that protection is the most likely reason.
