Split PDF filesinto separate pages or ranges
Split a PDF into individual pages, or extract custom page ranges as separate files, instantly in your browser. Pages are copied without re-encoding, so there's no quality loss — and nothing is uploaded to a server.
Pull specific pages or ranges out of large PDFs without any quality loss.
Turn a multi-page document into individual files for easier sharing.
All splitting happens locally in your browser using pdf-lib.
Quick Tips
- Use a single range like "3-10" to keep consecutive pages together in one file.
- Use "Split all pages" when you need every page as its own standalone document.
- Remove the password from a locked PDF first — encrypted files will fail to load.
- If your browser only saves one file from "Download All," allow multiple downloads/pop-ups for this site.
What This Tool Actually Does
This splitter reads your PDF with pdf-lib and copies pages directly into new documents — nothing is re-rendered or re-encoded, so quality is identical to the source. There are two modes: Split all pages, which turns every page into its own single-page file, and Custom range, where you type comma-separated ranges like "1-3, 5, 7-10".
One detail that trips people up: each comma-separated entry in a custom range becomes its own separate output file. A range like "1-3" stays together as one 3-page PDF, but typing "1, 3, 5" produces three separate one-page PDFs — not one combined 3-page file. Plan your ranges with that in mind.
How to Split a PDF Online
- Upload your PDF. Open the splitter above and drop in the PDF you want to split, or click to browse for one.
- Choose a split mode. Pick "Split all pages" to turn every page into its own single-page PDF, or "Custom range" to define exactly which pages to pull out.
- Enter ranges if using Custom. Type ranges like "1-3, 5, 7-10", separated by commas. Each comma-separated group becomes its own separate PDF file — a range like 1-3 stays together as one 3-page file.
- Split. Click Split PDF. Pages are copied directly with pdf-lib, so there's no re-encoding and no quality loss.
- Download. Download each resulting PDF individually, or use Download All to save every part at once.
Real-World Examples
Chapters from an E-book
Enter each chapter's page range (e.g. "1-12, 13-30, 31-48") to get one PDF per chapter in a single pass.
One Invoice from a Combined Report
If an invoice spans pages 42-45 of a larger report, enter "42-45" to extract exactly that invoice as its own file.
Individual Signed Pages
Use "Split all pages" on a signed contract to get each page as its own file for separate distribution or filing.
Scanned Homework Pages
Pull out just the pages a teacher asked to resubmit, then merge them back with a corrected page using PDF Merge.
Common Mistakes
- Typing "1, 3, 5" expecting one combined file instead of three separate ones.
- Entering a range that starts after it ends, like "10-5".
- Referencing a page number beyond the document's actual page count.
- Uploading a password-protected PDF without removing the password first.
- Assuming "Download All" produces a single ZIP file rather than several individual downloads.
Best Practices & Expert Tips
- Check the page count shown after upload before typing a custom range.
- Group consecutive pages into one range when you want them to stay together.
- Allow multiple downloads/pop-ups for this site if you plan to use Download All.
- Compress a split file afterward if it still needs to fit a portal's size limit.
- Download the files you need before closing the tab — results aren't saved anywhere.
Troubleshooting
The file won't load: the most common cause is a password-protected or corrupted PDF — remove the password using another tool first.
"Invalid range" error: check that your range doesn't exceed the page count shown after upload, and that the start number is smaller than the end number.
Only one file downloaded after clicking Download All: some browsers block multiple simultaneous downloads by default — allow downloads or pop-ups for this site, or download each result individually instead.
Splitting is slow on a very large PDF: processing happens on your device, so a very large scanned document may take longer on a lower-memory device than on a desktop.
Why Use This PDF Splitter
Custom Ranges
Specify exact page ranges like "1-3, 5, 7-10" to extract only the pages you need, each as its own file.
No Quality Loss
Pages are copied directly with pdf-lib rather than re-rendered, so text and images stay exactly as they were.
Fast, Local Processing
Splitting happens instantly in your browser. No waiting for a server upload or download queue.
No Upload Required
Your file stays on your device the entire time — nothing is sent to a server to be split.
Privacy & Security
Your PDF is read and split locally in your browser using pdf-lib — the file itself is never uploaded to a server to perform the split, which matters for contracts, financial documents, and scanned records.
Tool Limitations
- Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked before splitting.
- Comma-separated ranges each produce their own separate file — not one combined file.
- "Download All" triggers multiple browser downloads rather than a single ZIP.
- One source PDF per session — no batch splitting of multiple files at once.
- Bookmarks and form fields tied to the original document structure may not carry over.
Why Trust This Page
This page is written and maintained by the thepdftools editorial team and is checked directly against the live splitter's behavior, including exactly how custom ranges and Download All work.
Best Next Step After Splitting
If an extracted file still needs to fit a portal's size limit, compress it next. If you need to recombine specific split pages with other documents, merge them instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I extract a specific page range from a PDF?
Yes. Choose Custom range and type something like "3-10" to pull those pages out as one combined PDF.
If I type "1, 3, 5" do I get one PDF with those three pages together?
No. Each comma-separated entry becomes its own separate PDF file. Typing "1, 3, 5" produces three separate one-page files, not a single combined 3-page file. Use a single range like "1-5" if you want consecutive pages kept together in one file.
What does "Split all pages" do?
It turns every page of the PDF into its own individual single-page PDF file — useful when you need each page as a standalone document rather than a specific subset.
Does splitting reduce the quality of the pages?
No. Pages are copied directly from the source document using pdf-lib rather than being re-rendered or re-encoded, so text, images, and formatting stay exactly as they were in the original.
Does "Download All" create a single ZIP file?
No. Download All triggers a separate download for each resulting PDF at once rather than bundling them into one ZIP archive. If your browser blocks multiple simultaneous downloads, allow pop-ups/downloads for this site or download each file individually.
Can I split a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. The tool needs to read the PDF's contents to split it, so an encrypted or password-protected file will fail to load until the password is removed first.
Is there a maximum number of pages I can split?
There's no fixed page-count limit set by the tool. Since everything runs in your browser, very large documents depend on your device's available memory rather than a server-side cap.
Does the file get uploaded to a server to be split?
No. Splitting happens in your browser using the pdf-lib library — the file is read and processed locally and isn't sent to a remote server.
Can I split more than one PDF at a time?
No, this tool works with one source PDF per session. Reset and upload a new file after you've finished with the current one.
Will the split files keep the original page size and orientation?
Yes. Because pages are copied rather than re-rendered, each output file keeps the exact page size and orientation of the source PDF.
How do I extract just one page from a long PDF?
Choose Custom range and enter just that page number, for example "12", to get a single-page PDF containing only that page.
Can I extract multiple separate ranges in one operation?
Yes. Enter multiple ranges separated by commas, like "1-2, 10-15, 20". Each range or page number becomes its own downloadable PDF in a single split operation.
Why did I get an error about an invalid page range?
This happens if a range starts after it ends (like "10-5") or references a page number higher than the document's actual page count. Check the page count shown after upload and adjust the range.
Are bookmarks or annotations preserved in the split files?
Page content, text, and images are preserved exactly. Document-level features like bookmarks or embedded form fields tied to the original file structure are not guaranteed to carry over into each extracted file.
Can I use this to pull chapters out of an e-book or manual?
Yes. If you know the page ranges for each chapter, enter them as separate comma-separated ranges and each chapter will come out as its own PDF.
Can I use this to separate invoice pages from a combined report?
Yes. This is one of the more common uses — extracting a specific invoice's pages out of a larger combined document by entering its page range.
Is my PDF saved anywhere after I close the tab?
No. Split results exist only in your browser's memory for that session. Download the files you need before closing or refreshing the tab.
Can I split a scanned PDF the same way as a text-based one?
Yes, splitting works on page structure, not on whether the content is scanned or selectable text, so scanned PDFs split the same way as text-based ones.
What should I do if my split file is still too large to upload somewhere?
Run the extracted PDF through a compressor afterward. Use PDF Compress for general size reduction, or Compress PDF to 100KB if the destination enforces that specific limit.
Can I merge the split files back together later?
Yes. Use PDF Merge to recombine selected split files, or add other documents alongside them, in whatever order you need.