Split PDF
Drop a PDF and type the page ranges you want as separate files. Each comma-separated group becomes its own PDF; multiple groups come back in a ZIP. Runs entirely in your browser.
Why split a PDF?
- Breaking a 50-page combined invoice PDF into one PDF per invoice for upload to an expense system that expects single files.
- Pulling a single chapter or section out of a textbook PDF for a focused study session.
- Splitting a multi-document scan (where the original was a stack of unrelated papers) back into its constituent documents.
- Separating the appendices from the main body of a legal brief for selective filing.
- Splitting a meeting minutes PDF by date so each meeting has its own archived file.
- Breaking a manuscript PDF into per-chapter files for distribution to different editors.
How it works
Your PDF is loaded with pdf-lib. Each comma-separated range you type (e.g. 1-3, 5, 7-10) is parsed into a group of page numbers. For each group, a fresh PDF is created and the matching pages are copied in via copyPages. Single-group splits download as a single PDF; multi-group splits are bundled into a ZIP via fflate so the browser can deliver the whole batch in one download click. Nothing uploads — pdf-lib runs as JavaScript in this page.
Frequently asked questions
What's the syntax for ranges?
Comma-separated. Use a hyphen for a range (1-3 = pages 1, 2, 3) or a single number for a single page (5). Mix them freely: "1-3, 5, 7-10" gives you three output PDFs with three / one / four pages respectively.
What if I only enter one range?
You get a single PDF download (no ZIP). Useful as a one-shot 'extract pages 1-10' shortcut without picking individual pages from a thumbnail grid.
Can I split into single-page PDFs (every page its own file)?
Yes — type each page number separated by commas: '1, 2, 3, 4, 5'. For very long PDFs, that's tedious — a 'one page per file' shortcut button is on the roadmap. Until then, the comma-separated form works.
Will encrypted PDFs work?
Owner-restricted PDFs split fine. Password-protected PDFs need to be unlocked first via the unlock-pdf tool.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The full split runs in your browser — pdf-lib for the PDF surgery, fflate for the ZIP. Nothing leaves your device.
About this tool
Splitting a PDF is one of the everyday operations of any PDF toolkit — every long combined-invoice or multi-document-scan eventually needs to come apart so individual pieces can be filed, uploaded, or archived separately. Acrobat does it via 'Organize Pages > Split'; the SaaS sites (Smallpdf, ILovePDF, PDF24) do it via upload-then-split. The mechanics are simple — copy the right pages into fresh PDFs — but doing it client-side via pdf-lib avoids the trust-the-server step that comes with uploading sensitive scans, contracts, or financial records to a third-party splitter.