PDF Splitter – Split a PDF Into Separate Files Online

To split a PDF, upload it to the PDF splitter above, choose the pages you want in each new file, click Split, and download the results. A 12-page PDF split into the ranges 1–4, 5–8 and 9–12 gives you three separate 4-page PDFs.

How to use this free PDF splitter

1. Add your PDF. Click the upload area or drag the file onto it.
2. Choose your pages. Select the pages or page ranges that should go into each new file.
3. Click Split. A short document finishes almost instantly. A 300-page scan takes longer, so give it a moment.
4. Download the new files. Open the first page of each result to confirm the split landed where you expected.

What usually goes wrong

• The page numbers don’t match. The number printed on a page and its position in the file are often different. If your report starts numbering at the third page, “page 1” in print is page 3 in the file. Always use the file’s position.
• The upload fails. Very large files can be rejected. Try a smaller copy, or split the original in your scanning software first.
• Nothing happens on a locked file. Many splitters can’t read a password-protected PDF. Remove the password in the program that created it, then try again.

Plan your split before you start

Ten seconds of planning saves a re-run. Decide which pages belong together, then write the ranges down. Here is how the same 12-page file behaves under different plans:

One page per file is the right call when each page goes to a different person, like signature pages for separate signers.

When a PDF splitter saves you time

You’ve got a 90-page contract pack and the client only needs pages 14 to 22. Sending all 90 means a heavy attachment and a longer read for them. Extract the nine pages and you’re done in a minute.

Or size. Gmail, for example, caps sent attachments at 25 MB per email on most accounts, and other providers set their own limits. A scanned PDF blows past that quickly. Splitting a 60 MB scan into three parts gets each piece to about 20 MB, under the cap. Not elegant, but it works.

And the batch scan: someone feeds twenty separate invoices through the scanner and gets one long PDF. Splitting by page range gives you one file per invoice. If your scans came out as TIFF files first, turn the TIFF scan into a PDF before you split it.

Does splitting a PDF reduce quality?

Splitting separates pages that already exist inside the PDF file. It doesn’t need to redraw them, so text and images should come out looking the same. Still, open the first page of the result and compare it with the original before you send anything important. If a piece is still too large, the pages themselves are heavy (usually high-resolution scans), so cut the file into more parts.

After you split: what to do next

• Changed your mind about the split? You can always join the pieces back into one file.
• Long file, hard to find your place? Add page numbers to the PDF so each part stays easy to navigate.
• Got photos instead of a PDF? Convert your images to a PDF first, then split.
• Browse the full set of free PDF and image tools.

PDF splitter: common questions

How do I split a PDF into separate pages?

Upload the PDF, select every page as its own file (1, 2, 3 and so on), click Split, and download the results. A 12-page PDF becomes 12 single-page PDFs.

How do I extract only certain pages from a PDF?

Select the pages you want, for example page 2 and pages 5 to 7, and run the split. You get a new PDF that contains only those pages.

Will splitting change my original PDF?

No. Splitting creates new files from the pages you choose. Your original PDF stays on your device as it was.

Can I split a password-protected PDF?

Many splitters can’t read a locked file. Remove the password in the program that created the PDF, then upload the unlocked copy.

Can I put the split pieces back together?

Yes. Use a merge tool to join the files in the order you want, and they become one PDF again.

Ready to use the PDF splitter? Scroll back to the tool at the top, or browse the free PDF and image tools.