Split PDF
Break a large PDF into smaller, more manageable files. Define custom page ranges to extract specific sections, split every N pages for equal distribution, or extract each page as its own file. Perfect for separating chapters, sharing specific sections, or reducing file sizes for email. All processing happens locally — your documents never touch a server.
What does this tool do?
The PDF Splitter divides a single PDF document into multiple smaller PDFs based on your specifications. This is invaluable when you have a large document that needs to be distributed in parts, when you want to extract specific chapters or sections, or when a file is too large to email or upload. The tool offers three distinct splitting modes: custom page ranges (extract specific pages like 1-5, 10-15, 20-30), split every N pages (divide into equal chunks), or single pages (each page becomes its own file). Unlike cloud-based services that require uploading your sensitive documents to external servers, our splitter processes everything locally in your browser using the MuPDF engine compiled to WebAssembly. This ensures complete privacy for confidential documents like contracts, medical records, financial statements, and legal papers.
How it works
The splitter loads your PDF into browser memory and analyzes its page structure. In custom range mode, you specify page ranges using standard notation like '1-10' for pages 1 through 10, or '15' for just page 15. Multiple ranges can be specified separated by commas. In every-N mode, you specify a number and the tool divides the total page count by that number to create equal-sized output files. In single-page mode, each page becomes a separate PDF file numbered sequentially. The tool uses lossless page grafting to extract pages, meaning the content quality is identical to the source with no re-rendering or compression applied. All output files download as a ZIP archive containing individual PDFs.
Features
- Three flexible splitting modes: custom ranges, every N pages, or single pages
- Multiple output ranges in a single operation for complex extractions
- Preserves original PDF quality with lossless page extraction
- Original PDF remains untouched — no risk of data loss
- Output files organized in a downloadable ZIP archive
- No upload required — complete privacy protection
- Handles files of any size limited only by available memory
- Retains bookmarks and metadata from source pages
How to use
- 1
Upload your PDF file
Drag and drop your multi-page PDF onto the upload area or click to browse. The tool displays the total page count and file information to help you plan your split strategy.
- 2
Choose your split mode
Select the splitting method that fits your needs: Custom Ranges for specific page sections, Every N Pages for equal division, or Single Pages to extract each page individually. The interface adapts to show relevant options for your chosen mode.
- 3
Configure split parameters
For custom ranges, enter page ranges like '1-10, 15-20, 25-30' to extract specific sections. For every-N mode, enter a number like '5' to create files of 5 pages each. For single pages, no additional input is needed.
- 4
Preview and execute
Review the proposed split structure showing how many files will be created and their page counts. When satisfied, click 'Split PDF' to process. The tool extracts pages and packages them into a ZIP file.
- 5
Download and extract
The ZIP file downloads automatically. Extract it to access your individual PDF files, each named according to its original page range or number for easy identification.
Common use cases
Separating chapters from an e-book
Academic researchers and students can extract individual chapters from large textbooks or research papers for focused reading or citation without handling the entire document.
Distributing specific sections to different teams
Project managers can split comprehensive reports into sections (executive summary, technical details, financial data) and distribute only relevant portions to different stakeholders.
Reducing file size for email attachments
When a PDF exceeds email size limits, split it into smaller chunks that can be sent separately or uploaded to file sharing services with size restrictions.
Extracting specific forms from a form packet
HR departments can separate individual forms from employee onboarding packets to distribute only the forms each employee needs to complete.
Creating individual page files for presentation
Graphic designers can split multi-page PDFs into single pages for importing into presentation software or for individual editing in design applications.
Tips & best practices
- Use the 'Extract specific pages' mode when you need non-contiguous pages like 1, 5, 10, 15
- For very large PDFs (1000+ pages), consider splitting into chunks of 100 pages for easier handling
- After splitting, use the Merge tool to recombine files in a different order if needed
- Check page numbers carefully before splitting — the tool uses the PDF's internal page numbers, which may differ from visible page numbers in the document