How to split a PDF for free

Want to pull a few pages out of a PDF, or break one big file into parts? Here's how to split a PDF for free on your own device — no upload, no account, no watermark.

1. Open the Split PDF tool. Open the free Split PDF tool — it runs entirely in your browser.
2. Add your PDF. Drag in the PDF. It's loaded locally, not sent to any server.
3. Pick the pages or ranges. Choose the page range to extract, or split every page into its own file.
4. Download. Save the resulting PDF(s) straight to your device.

Two ways to split

• Extract a page range. Type the pages you want, for example 3-7, and the tool produces one new PDF containing only those pages. Use it to send a single chapter, drop a cover page, pull an invoice out of a long statement or share just the signed page of a contract.
• Every page into its own file. Choose the split-everything option and each page becomes a separate PDF. Handy for scans where each page is a different document, or for uploading pages one by one.

Tips

• Note the page numbers first. Open the PDF and check the actual page numbers of the part you need; printed numbering often doesn't match the file's page count, because a cover and a contents page push everything along.
• Ranges are inclusive. 3-7 gives you pages 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
• Several separate ranges? Run the tool once per range, or split every page and then merge the ones you want in the order you want.
• Large scans. If the source is a heavy scanned file, the output pages will be heavy too; Compress PDF shrinks them on your device.

Privacy

Most online splitters upload the whole document to do the job, so a 60-page contract goes to someone else's server just to extract page 12. Here the file is loaded into your browser and the split happens on your device; the parts are written straight to your downloads. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no account or watermark. Free use is capped at five runs a day for this tool, counted in your browser and reset at midnight UTC.

A worked example

Say you have a 12-page report and a colleague only needs the section on pages 4 to 6 plus the summary on page 11. Choose Extract a page range and type 4-6, 11. You get one 4-page PDF with those pages in that order. The original file is untouched, and you can run the tool again with a different range if you need another extract.

Removing pages you do not want to share

There is no separate delete option, but extraction does the same job. To drop page 4 from a 10-page file, extract everything else: 1-3, 5-10. The result is a new PDF without that page. This is useful for removing a cover sheet, a page with personal details or a blank scan.

Which page numbers to type

The tool counts physical pages, with the first page as 1. The number printed on a page is often different, because a cover and a contents page push the numbering along. The reliable way to find the right number is the page counter in your PDF viewer's toolbar, not the figure printed on the page.

What splitting keeps and what it does not

Pages are copied across, not redrawn, so each one keeps its original size, text and image quality. The extracted file has no compression applied, so it is only as small as the pages it contains. Features that belong to the document as a whole, such as bookmarks and interactive form fields, may not come with the extracted pages, so open the result and check anything you rely on. Password-protected PDFs cannot be opened by the tool; remove the password first.

What to do next

• If the extract is still too large to send, run it through Compress PDF.
• If you need pages from several files in one document, extract from each and merge the pieces.
• If the extracted pages need new page numbers, use Add Page Numbers.

FAQ

Can I extract just one page?

Yes. Type a single number, such as 5, or a custom range, and you get a new PDF with only those pages.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Splitting happens in your browser, so the file is not uploaded to this site or anywhere else.

How do I delete a page from a PDF?

Extract every page except the one you want to drop. For a 10-page file where page 4 should go, type 1-3, 5-10.

Why did I get the wrong pages?

You probably typed the number printed on the page. The tool counts physical pages, starting at 1 for the first page of the file.

Is there a limit on how often I can split?

Free use is capped at 5 runs per day for this tool, counted in your browser and reset at midnight UTC.

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