Split PDF and extract pages

Four ways to split

• Extract copies the pages you choose into one new PDF, in the order you type them, so 5, 1-3 puts page 5 first.
• Ranges makes one PDF for each range: 1-3, 4-10, 11- gives three files.
• Every N pages cuts the document into equal parts, such as chapters of 10 pages. The last part holds whatever is left.
• Each page makes one PDF per page and delivers them all in one ZIP.

The files are named after the original and their pages, such as report-pages-1-3.pdf or report-page-07.pdf, so they sort in page order.

Choosing pages

Click pages in the preview to select them, or type them. Commas separate parts, a dash makes a range, 8- runs from page 8 to the end, and last means the final page. A backwards range such as 5-3 is read as 3 to 5. The buttons above the preview select all, odd, even or none, or invert the selection, which is the quick way to split the front and back pages of a two sided scan.

Why the parts can add up to more than the original

A PDF keeps one copy of each font and picture and lets every page point to it. When pages are split into separate files, each file needs its own copy of everything its pages use. Usually that costs little. With fonts embedded in full, it can multiply the size:

Pictures belong to the pages they appear on, so a brochure or a scan splits cleanly: a page of text weighs a few kilobytes and a page with photos carries its photos. If a part has to be small, run it through compress PDF, which shrinks pictures. Fonts embedded in full are better fixed at the source, by exporting the document again; why is my PDF so big explains how to spot them.

What is kept

Pages are copied, not redrawn. Text stays selectable and searchable, pictures keep their quality, and each page keeps its size and rotation. Bookmarks and form fields belong to the document rather than to its pages, so they are not carried into the parts. To remove a few pages and keep everything else in one file, delete PDF pages is the quicker route, and merge PDF puts parts back together.

If something goes wrong

• It says a part is not a page range. Use numbers, commas and dashes only, such as 1-3, 5, 8-.
• It says a page is outside the document. The file has fewer pages than the range asks for; the hint under the box shows how many it has.
• It says the PDF is password protected. It is locked against opening. Unlock it first with unlock PDF, if you have the right to.

How we tested. Four PDFs made for the test: an 11 page report exported from Word with its fonts embedded in full, the same report exported with font subsets, an 8 page brochure with four camera photos, and a 10 page scan at 300 dpi. Split page by page with the code of this tool in Chrome.