Split PDF: Separate and Extract PDF Pages Free

What does splitting a PDF do?

Splitting a PDF takes one document and turns it into smaller documents, or pulls a few pages out into a new file. The original file is not changed. Common reasons:

• Send only what is needed: one signed page of a contract, one month of a bank statement, one chapter of a manual.
• Get under an upload limit: many job portals, government sites and email services cap file size. Smaller pieces fit.
• Separate a scan: a stack of receipts or forms scanned into one PDF can become one file per document.
• Share chapters: teachers, authors and course creators often hand out a long PDF in sections.

Four ways to split

How to write page ranges

• 5 means page 5 only.
• 1-3 means pages 1, 2 and 3.
• 8- means page 8 to the last page.
• Separate ranges with commas: 1-3, 5, 8-10.

In By page ranges mode each range becomes its own file, in the order you wrote them. In Extract mode all listed pages go into one PDF, in page order. Pages that do not exist are ignored, so 1-100 on a 12-page file simply means all 12 pages.

Split PDF vs. extract pages vs. delete pages

These three jobs are closely related. Splitting makes several files. Extracting keeps the pages you list and drops the rest. Deleting is the reverse of extracting: you list the pages to remove. To delete a few pages (and fix sideways pages at the same time), use our Rotate PDF tool, which has a delete box. To put files back together, use Merge PDF.

Does splitting change the quality?

No. Pages are copied exactly as they are: text stays selectable and searchable, images keep their resolution, and web links on the page keep working. Nothing is re-compressed. Because each page is copied with the fonts and images it needs, a few small files can together be larger than the original; that is normal.

A few things are not carried into the new files: the original's bookmarks (outline), and interactive form fields may not stay fillable. If the new files are still too big for an upload form, run them through Compress PDF.

How to split a PDF on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac

The splitter runs in any modern browser, so you do not need Adobe Acrobat or an app:

1. Open this page and tap the box to pick a PDF from Files, Google Drive (download it first) or your computer.
2. Choose the mode, type the pages, and tap Split PDF.
3. Download the files. With two or more results, Download all as ZIP saves them in one go.

On a Mac you can also drag pages out of the Preview sidebar, and on Windows you can "print" selected pages to PDF, but both are slower when you need many files.

Common problems

• "Password-protected": PDFs that need a password to open cannot be split until the password is removed by someone who knows it.
• "That would give back the same PDF": your ranges cover every page in one file. Use smaller ranges or another mode.
• Scanned pages look sideways: split first, then fix them with Rotate PDF.
• I need images instead of PDFs: PDF to JPG turns pages into pictures.

Your documents never leave your device

Tax forms, medical records, bank statements and contracts are exactly the files you should not upload to random websites. This splitter reads and writes the PDF inside your browser, so nothing is sent to GrowthPi or anyone else. For organizing important paperwork, see our guide on choosing cloud storage, and if you are gathering records for taxes, how to track side hustle income and taxes.

Last updated November 4, 2026.