Split a PDF in the order you actually need
Extract specific page ranges, cut every page into its own file, or divide a document into equal-sized chunks — processed entirely in your browser, without sending the file anywhere.
Three ways to cut a PDF apart
PDF splitting is not one operation — it depends on what you need to do with the pieces. This tool covers the three patterns that actually come up.
Define exactly which pages go into each output file. Useful when a document has distinct sections that need to travel separately — report, appendix, signature block.
Burst a document into single-page PDFs in one click. Common before uploading slides, contracts, or scanned receipts to systems that expect one page per file.
Divide by a consistent page count — every 2 pages, every 10 pages. Practical for splitting a scanned book or a recurring multi-page form.
The tool uses pdf-lib to copy pages from the original document into new PDF objects inside your browser. Page content — text, vector shapes, embedded images, hyperlinks, most annotations — is carried over unchanged. No re-encoding, so output quality matches the source exactly.
Upload, pick a mode, download
Drag the file onto the upload area or click to browse. The file loads into browser memory — no upload happens. Page count and file size appear once loading is done.
For custom ranges, type entries like 1-4, 7, 10-12.
Chips appear as you type so you can preview the split before running.
For interval mode, enter the chunk size.
Click Split PDF. One output file downloads directly.
Multiple files are bundled into a ZIP — named by page range
(doc_p1-3.pdf, doc_p5.pdf …).
No page reordering. This tool splits, not rearranges. If you need to reorder first, use the Merge PDF tool to rebuild the order, then come back to split.
Decisions that actually come up
Scanners often produce one multi-page PDF per batch. If you scanned several contracts or invoices together, use custom ranges to split each back out as its own file — easier to archive, name, and send individually.
A 40-page report may have an executive summary on pages 1–4 and appendix data from page 30 onward that not every recipient needs. Custom ranges let you extract just pages 1–4 as a standalone PDF without touching the original.
Print shops, HR departments, and form-heavy workflows often deal with PDFs where each page is a separate document instance. Every-page mode converts the stack into individual files in one pass.
Scanned documents (image-only PDFs) split fine — the page image copies as-is. However, if you need to extract text from scanned pages, splitting first and running OCR after is more efficient than the reverse. Password-protected PDFs that restrict editing are not supported — see the FAQ.
Local vs cloud PDF splitters
Cloud-based splitters work well and often have polished interfaces — but every job sends your file to a server you can't inspect, and free tiers impose page limits or daily caps. The trade-off is worth naming.
| Factor | This tool | Cloud (Smallpdf, iLovePDF) | Desktop apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| File stays on device | Yes — always | No — uploaded | Yes |
| Page count limit | None | Free tiers: ~20–100 pages | None |
| File size limit | Browser memory only | Free tiers: 5–20 MB | None |
| Daily job limit | None | 2–3 jobs/hour on free | None |
| Works offline | Yes, after first load | No | Yes |
| Password-protected PDFs | Not supported | Often, with password | Usually |
| Install required | No | No | Yes |
For sensitive documents where upload is not acceptable, this tool is the practical browser-based option. For password-protected files or OCR on scanned pages, a cloud tool or Adobe Acrobat is a better fit.
Direct answers
Is my PDF uploaded to a server when I split it?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser using pdf-lib and the File API. Your file is read into browser memory and never transmitted anywhere. Verify it: open DevTools, switch to the Network tab, and run a split — there will be no outbound file request.
What is the page range syntax?
Comma-separated entries where each is either a single page number or a hyphenated range.
1-3 = pages 1, 2, 3 as one file; 5 = just page 5;
1-3, 5, 8-10 = three output files.
Page numbers start at 1. Ranges past the document's last page show as red chips — splitting
is blocked until they are corrected.
How large a PDF can I split?
There is no limit enforced by this tool. The practical ceiling is the memory your browser allocates to the tab — typically several gigabytes on a modern desktop. Very large documents with many high-resolution embedded images may slow processing noticeably.
Do the output PDFs keep text, links and annotations?
Yes. pdf-lib copies the full page content object — text, vector graphics, embedded images, hyperlinks, and most annotations — directly into the output file. It does not rasterize or re-encode anything, so output quality is identical to the source pages.
Can I split a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. PDFs have two protection types: a user password (required to open the file) and an owner password (restricts editing or copying). pdf-lib cannot modify either without the correct password.
Workaround: open the PDF in your browser or a reader and print it to a new PDF file — this removes the restriction — then split that copy.
Why do multiple output files download as a ZIP?
Browsers can't reliably trigger many separate save dialogs at once — they block extras as pop-ups or show a permission prompt. Bundling into a ZIP means one download, one file to save. The ZIP is created in-browser using JSZip — no upload. Individual files can still be downloaded one at a time from the results list.
What usually comes next
Combine multiple PDFs into one document and reorder pages before export.
Use tool →Export every page as a JPG or PNG. No page cap, no watermark.
Use tool →Reduce file size before sharing the split pieces — choose your own compression level.
Use tool →If split pages are scanned images, use OCR to pull out text — runs locally too.
Use tool →