Split PDF
Cut a PDF into parts by ranges, into equal chunks, or into single pages (ZIP). Everything runs locally in your browser.
How to Split a PDF
Upload the PDF you want to break apart. The tool reads it locally and shows the total page count. Choose one of three split modes. By page ranges is the most flexible: type groups like 1-3, 4-6, 7 and each group becomes its own PDF file, downloaded one after another. This is ideal for pulling chapters, sections, or a signed page out of a longer document. Every N pages cuts the file into equal chunks, handy for dividing a large scan into emailable pieces. Single pages explodes the document into one PDF per page and packs them into a single ZIP download, since browsers will not allow dozens of separate download prompts.
Choosing the Right Mode
Use ranges when you know exactly which pages belong together, like extracting pages 12-18 as the appendix. Use every-N when the content division does not matter and you just need smaller files, for example splitting a 200-page scan into chunks of 20 pages for an upload form with file size limits. Use single pages when each page is its own deliverable, such as individual invoices or certificates that were scanned as one batch. After splitting, you can recombine selected parts with the Merge PDF tool if you change your mind about the grouping.
Quality and Privacy Notes
Split pages are copied, not re-rendered, so quality is identical to the original. Text remains selectable and searchable in every output file. All work happens in your browser with pdf-lib, so sensitive documents never travel over the network. One limitation: if the original PDF is password-protected, the tool cannot open it, because pdf-lib does not support decryption. Remove the password in a desktop PDF reader first, then split.
Naming Your Output Files
Split files are named from the original plus a part label, like report-part1.pdf. Rename them right after downloading while the contents are fresh in your mind: chapter names beat part numbers when you search for them months later. Keep the original file too, until you are sure the parts are correct; storage is cheaper than rework.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I split a PDF into separate files?
Upload your PDF, pick a split mode, and click Split. "By ranges" turns each range you type, like 1-5, 6-10, into its own PDF. "Every N pages" cuts the document into equal chunks. "Single pages" creates one PDF per page and bundles them into a ZIP for one download. All three modes run entirely in your browser, so your document never leaves your device.
What page range format does the splitter accept?
Use the same format readers expect: single pages and hyphen ranges separated by commas, for example 1-3, 7, 10-12. Each comma-separated group becomes one output file. Page numbers start at 1. If you type a page beyond the document length, the tool stops and tells you which number is invalid instead of silently dropping it.
Can I split a PDF into individual pages without a ZIP?
The "single pages" mode downloads a ZIP because browsers block pages that try to trigger dozens of separate downloads at once. The ZIP contains one PDF per page named page-1.pdf, page-2.pdf, and so on. If you only need a few pages rather than all of them, use "by ranges" mode instead, which downloads each part as a normal PDF file.
Will splitting reduce the quality of my PDF?
No. Splitting copies pages without re-rendering them, so text, images, and vector graphics keep their original quality. Each output file is a fully valid standalone PDF containing just the pages you selected. The only thing not carried over is document-level metadata like bookmarks that span the whole original file.
Is there a file size limit for splitting?
There is no hard-coded limit, but the whole PDF is loaded into your browser memory, so very large files, several hundred megabytes, may be slow or run out of memory on phones. For big documents, prefer a desktop browser. Splitting usually makes each output smaller than the input, since fonts and resources are duplicated only where needed.
Are my files uploaded anywhere during splitting?
No. The split is done with the pdf-lib JavaScript library running locally in your browser tab. Your file is read from your device into memory, split, and the results are downloaded straight back to you. Disconnecting from the internet after the page loads does not stop the tool from working.