Split PDF
Split a PDF into separate pages or extract a custom page range. Free and fully in-browser — your documents are never uploaded.
Drop a PDF here
or click to choose · split it into pages or a range
How to use the Split PDF
- 1Drag your PDF onto the drop zone or click Select File — it is read locally in your browser, and a page count with thumbnails appears once parsing finishes.
- 2Pick a mode: Split into single pages to turn every page into its own file, or Extract range to keep only certain pages.
- 3For an extract, type the pages in the range field — a single range like 5-12, or a list like 1-3, 8, 11-14 — and check that the highlighted thumbnails match what you want.
- 4Click Split. The new PDF(s) are built entirely on your device; watch for the file objects to be copied, not an upload bar.
- 5Download each output individually, or grab them all as one ZIP when the split produces multiple files.
- 6Close the tab when done to clear the original PDF from browser memory.
About the Split PDF
Split PDF does one job with two modes: it either bursts a PDF so every page becomes its own standalone file, or it extracts a specific slice — say pages 5 through 12 — into a single new document. The whole operation runs inside your browser tab. When you drop a file in, pdf-lib parses it in your tab's memory, reads the document's internal page tree, and writes fresh PDFs that copy the page objects you selected. Nothing is sent anywhere: there is no upload step, no server round-trip, and no copy left behind once you close the tab. That is also why it keeps working after you go offline — the code is already loaded — and why it is the correct choice for files you cannot hand to a third party.
Because it copies page objects rather than re-rendering them, the output keeps the original page dimensions, embedded fonts, and vector text exactly as they were. The result stays selectable and searchable; nothing is flattened to an image. A 200-page document splits in a second or two on an ordinary laptop, since the work is object copying rather than rasterizing.
The everyday cases are concrete. A lawyer pulls one exhibit out of a 300-page filing before emailing opposing counsel. An accountant lifts a single client's return from a batch scan. A student keeps only the three chapters they need from a scanned textbook. HR breaks a merged bundle of signed contracts back into one file per employee. Anyone who scanned a stack of receipts as a single PDF can burst them into separate documents in one click.
A few practical notes. For several non-contiguous sections, use a comma-separated range like 1-3, 8, 11-14, or run the extract more than once. Encrypted PDFs must be unlocked first — the browser cannot copy pages it cannot decrypt. On very large scanned files, give the tab a moment: available memory, not upload speed, is the only real limit here. And because the file never leaves your device, this is the tool to reach for with confidential medical, financial, or legal PDFs rather than a site that processes them on a server.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between splitting into single pages and extracting a range?
Splitting into single pages turns a 20-page PDF into 20 separate one-page files. Extracting a range keeps only the pages you name — say 5 to 12 — and produces one new PDF containing just those pages, dropping the rest.
Can I pull out several separate sections at once, like pages 1-3 and 8-10?
Yes. Enter a comma-separated list such as 1-3, 8-10 in the range field to gather those pages into one output PDF. If you instead want each section as its own file, run the extract once per range.
Will splitting reduce the quality of my pages?
No. It copies the original page objects — text, vector graphics, and embedded fonts — into the new file instead of converting pages to images. The output is bit-for-bit identical in appearance and stays selectable and searchable.
Can it split a password-protected PDF?
Not while it is still encrypted. The browser cannot copy pages it cannot decrypt, so remove the password first in a viewer that has it, then load the unlocked file here to split it.
Are my documents uploaded while I split them?
No. Parsing and file creation happen entirely in your browser's memory using pdf-lib in client-side JavaScript. The PDF never leaves your computer, the tool still works offline once the page has loaded, and nothing is retained after you close the tab.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I extract just a few pages?+
Yes — choose a page range to extract, or split every page into its own PDF.