Split a PDF into multiple files

Split a PDF by pages, chunks or custom ranges

A long PDF is not always the most useful format. Sometimes you need a single chapter, one invoice out of a batch, or each form as a standalone file. Splitting breaks one document into several smaller PDFs, and this tool gives you three ways to decide where the cuts go.

Every page creates one PDF per page. It suits scanned batches where each page is a separate receipt, certificate or form.

Every N pages cuts the document into equal chunks. If a scanner combined twenty two-page forms into one file, set 'Pages per file' to 2 and you get twenty neat forms back.

Custom ranges lets you draw the lines yourself. Typing 1-4, 5-12, 13- gives you three files: an introduction, a main section and everything after page 12.

Who splits PDFs, and why

• Teachers separate a combined worksheet pack into individual handouts.
• Accountants and bookkeepers break a monthly statement bundle into one file per client.
• Legal teams pull exhibits out of a long filing so each can be referenced on its own.
• Anyone emailing large files divides a big report into parts that fit under attachment limits.
• Students save each chapter of a textbook scan as a separate reading.

Practical tips

Check the page count shown next to your file before typing ranges. If a range points to a page that does not exist, the field shows a clear message such as the number of pages the document actually has, so you can correct it before running.

Output files are named after the original with the page span added, like report-5-12.pdf. That keeps parts sorted and easy to identify in a folder. When there is more than one result, 'Download all (ZIP)' saves you from clicking through a long list.

Ranges in custom mode may overlap. If you type 1-5, 3-8, pages 3 to 5 appear in both files, which is handy when two recipients each need some shared context pages.

Private by design

Splitting runs entirely in the tab you have open. The PDF engine is JavaScript that your browser downloads once with the page, and from then on it reads your file from local memory, slices it and writes the new PDFs without contacting any server. There is no upload step to wait for and no stored copy anywhere else.

This also means the tool keeps working if your connection drops after the page loads. It is free, needs no account, and accepts files up to 200 MB. Extremely large documents are limited only by the memory your device can spare.

Related tasks

If you only need one selection of pages in a single file, Extract pages is quicker. To throw away a few pages instead, use Delete pages. To reorder pages before splitting, visit Organize PDF. And when you want to put parts back together later, Merge PDF does the reverse.