Split a PDF into Multiple Parts
Split by page range or into single pages?
Split a PDF into separate documents by page range or individual pages. Enter the pages you need and download the resulting PDF files, packaged as a ZIP when appropriate. This is useful for separating chapters, invoices or handouts from a larger file. Check the selected page numbers before processing; printed page labels can differ from the file’s actual page positions.
Cost: Free to use. File size and usage limits apply.
How to split a PDF
Add one PDF
Click Choose PDF or drop a PDF of up to 200 MB on the preview. You can also pick a file from Uploads, including results from other PDF tools. One PDF is split per job; if you drop several, only the first is used.
Choose the split mode
Under Split mode, pick Range PDF to get one new PDF made of the pages you list, or Separate pages to get a ZIP with one PDF per page.
Find the page numbers
Page through the preview; the counter above it shows the current page and the total, for example
7 / 48. Use these positions, not the page numbers printed in the document.Enter the pages
Type single pages and ranges into Pages to extract, separated by commas, for example
1-3,5,8-10. In Range PDF the field starts at1, so replace it. Switching to Separate pages empties the field; leave it empty to split every page.Split and download
Click Split PDF. A Range PDF result opens in the preview so you can check it before you click Download split PDF; in Separate pages mode the same button downloads the ZIP. The result is also saved in the shared file manager.
Split mode and page selection
- Split mode: Range PDF
- Writes exactly one PDF. Pages appear in the order you type them, so
10,1-3puts page 10 first, and a page you list twice appears twice. Several ranges still end up in the same file:1-3,5-7gives one 6-page PDF, not two PDFs. - Split mode: Separate pages
- Writes one single-page PDF for each selected page and packs them into a ZIP. Each file name ends in
_page_plus the page's position in the original, for example_page_12.pdf, so you can match files to pages. With an empty page field, a 120-page PDF gives 120 files. - Pages to extract
- Accepts single pages (
7), ranges (4-9) and comma-separated lists of both. Spaces are ignored. Only digits, commas and hyphens are allowed. Ranges must run from low to high, so9-4is rejected, and open-ended ranges such as5-are not accepted: write5-48instead. A page number beyond the end of the file is rejected before the split starts, with a message such as "This PDF has 48 pages. Page 50 is not available."
Cutting one PDF into several parts
Each Range PDF run produces one file. To cut a 48-page manual into three chapters, run the tool three times: 1-12, then 13-30, then 31-48. The source stays selected and every result is kept in Uploads, so you only change the page field and click Split PDF again.
If you need one file per page, Separate pages does it in a single run. To assemble pages from different PDFs into one document, split each source with Range PDF and join the results with Merge PDFs. The results are already in Uploads, so nothing has to be uploaded again.
Two related tools cover the opposite cases. Remove PDF Pages is quicker when it is easier to list the pages you want to drop. Extract PDF Pages also creates one PDF from a page list, but always keeps the original page order and includes each page only once, however you type the list.
Formats and limits
- Input format
- Output formats
- Range PDF: one PDF. Separate pages: a ZIP containing one single-page PDF per selected page.
- Maximum file size
- 200 MB
- Files per job
- 1 PDF
- Password-protected PDFs
- PDFs that ask for a password when you open them cannot be split. If you know the password, remove it first with Unlock PDF.
- Processing
- On our servers with the pdfcpu PDF library. A job can run for up to 15 minutes.
- Watermark
- None
- Storage
- Uploads and results are deleted automatically after 48 hours for guests and after 30 days for free accounts. Paid plans can keep files longer.
Frequently asked questions
I entered several ranges. Why did I get only one PDF?
Range PDF always joins everything you list into a single file. For one file per page, switch to Separate pages. For larger parts such as chapters, run Range PDF once per part.
The page numbers don't match the numbers printed in my document. Which do I use?
Use the position in the file. Books and reports often start with a cover and front matter numbered i, ii, iii, so the page printed as 1 may be page 9 of the file. The counter above the preview always shows the position.
Does splitting reduce the quality of my PDF?
No. Pages are copied, not re-rendered: text stays selectable and searchable, and images are not recompressed. Document-level information does not come along, though. Bookmarks and properties such as title and author are missing from the new files; you can add them again with the PDF Bookmarks and PDF Properties tools.
Why is the ZIP larger than the original PDF?
The original stores each font and each repeated image once and shares it between pages. Every single-page PDF in the ZIP needs its own copy, so the total can exceed the original size. For the same reason, a short Range PDF excerpt from a document with large embedded fonts can be bigger than its page count suggests. Split only the pages you need.
Can I split a PDF that has restrictions on printing or copying?
Yes, as long as it opens without a password. If the parts need specific print or copy restrictions, you can set them on each part with the PDF Permissions tool. A PDF that asks for a password when you open it has to be unlocked first.