How to Split a PDF: Separate Pages or Extract Only Some

To split a PDF, open it in a PDF splitter, choose where to cut (by page ranges, every few pages, or every page), and download the new files. If you only need a few pages, you can also “print” those pages to a new PDF using the Save as PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF printer that is built into every modern computer and phone.

This guide explains both approaches, with steps for each device and examples of page ranges that cover the most common jobs.

Split or extract: which do you need?

The two words get mixed up, but they do different jobs:

You want to…	Use	Result
Cut one PDF into several parts	Split PDF	Several files, for example pages 1–10, 11–20, 21–30
Make every page its own file	Split PDF, “every page”	One file per page, often in a ZIP
Keep a few pages and ignore the rest	Extract PDF Pages	One new file with just those pages
Remove a few pages and keep the rest	Delete pages	The same file minus those pages

Both of our tools work inside your browser. The PDF is not uploaded, so they are safe for payslips, medical reports and signed contracts. They also copy pages exactly: text stays searchable and images are not compressed again.

How to split a PDF online (any device)

1. Open Split PDF in any modern browser.
2. Choose your PDF or drag it onto the page.
3. Pick how to split it: custom page ranges, every N pages, or every page.
4. Check the thumbnails, which show which new file each page will go into.
5. Click Split and download the files one by one, or all at once as a ZIP.

How to write page ranges

Page ranges look like 1-3, 5, 8-10. Each item separated by a comma becomes one file in Split PDF:

You type	You get
1-3, 4-6	Two files: pages 1–3 and pages 4–6
1, 2-9, 10	Three files: a cover page, the body, and the last page
8-	One file from page 8 to the end
1-5, 3-7	Two files that share pages 3 to 5

Want one file with pages 2, 5 and 9? That is extraction, not splitting. In Extract PDF Pages, tap those three thumbnails or type 2, 5, 9, and you get a single three-page PDF.

Split by printing to PDF (no extra software)

Every major system has a virtual printer that saves to PDF instead of paper. Printing a page range to it creates a new PDF with only those pages. It is handy for one quick extraction, but it has downsides: links and bookmarks may be lost, and some apps flatten the pages.

Windows 11

1. Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge (the default PDF viewer) and press Ctrl+P.
2. Under Printer, choose Microsoft Print to PDF or Save as PDF.
3. Under Pages, choose Custom and type a range such as 3-7, or pages separated by commas. Microsoft documents these page options in its Print in Microsoft Edge guide.
4. Click Print (or Save), then choose a name and folder.

Repeat for each part you need. For more than two or three parts, a splitter is faster because it creates all the files in one go.

Mac

Preview gives you two ways:

• Drag pages out. Open the PDF, choose View > Thumbnails, select the pages you want (Command-click for pages that are not next to each other), and drag them to the desktop. Apple says this creates a new PDF of those pages (Apple Support).
• Print to PDF. Choose File > Print, set the page range, then open the PDF pop-up menu at the bottom and choose Save as PDF (Apple Support).

iPhone and iPad

The simplest way is a browser tool in Safari: open Split PDF, tap to choose the file, and the parts are saved to the Downloads folder in the Files app.

On iOS 26 and later, Apple’s Preview app can do it too. Make a copy of the file first (Duplicate in the menu next to the file name), tap the page count to show thumbnails, then touch and hold each page you don’t want and choose Delete Page. Apple documents both steps in its iPhone User Guide.

Android

1. Open the PDF in Chrome or another app that can print, then choose Print (in Chrome: More > Share > Print).
2. Select Save as PDF as the printer at the top.
3. Open the print options with the down arrow and change the pages from all to a range.
4. Tap the PDF button or Print and choose where to save the file.

Google’s help page on printing from Chrome on Android covers the Save as PDF part. If your phone’s print screen has no page range option, use a browser tool instead.

Common splitting jobs, with real numbers

A scanned bundle of 60 pages, one 3-page form per person. Choose “every N pages” and set N to 3. You get 20 files, one per form, in a single ZIP.

A 240-page textbook, and you need chapter 4 (pages 61–88). Type 61-88 in Split PDF or select those pages in Extract PDF Pages. Remember that the page numbers printed on the paper may not match the PDF’s page numbers if the book has a cover and a contents section. Use the numbers your PDF viewer shows.

A 25 MB report that is too big to email. Split it into parts that each fit under the limit, for example 1-40, 41-80, 81- for a 120-page file. If the parts are still large, see how to compress a PDF.

A signed contract where you only need the signature page. Extract that one page and send it, so you don’t share the whole document.

Tips and gotchas

• Bookmarks and form fields. A split file is built only from its own pages, so a document-wide table of contents (bookmarks) does not come along. Links between pages that end up in the same file keep working.
• Password-protected files. If the PDF asks for a password to open, you need that password to remove the protection before splitting. Files that only block printing or copying can usually be split directly.
• Odd and even pages. Scanned double-sided documents sometimes have every back page blank. Splitting is not the right tool here; delete the blank pages instead.
• Putting parts back together. If you split a file to reorder or replace pages, recombine the parts with Merge PDF. Our guide on how to merge PDF files covers every device.

FAQ

Does splitting a PDF reduce quality?

No. Splitting copies each page exactly. Text, images and page sizes stay the same, and the new files together are roughly the size of the original.

How do I split a PDF into single pages?

Choose the “every page” option in Split PDF. Each page becomes its own file, and you can download them together as a ZIP.

How do I save just one page of a PDF?

Use Extract PDF Pages and select that page, or print only that page to the Save as PDF printer. Both give you a one-page PDF.

Can I split a PDF on my phone without an app?

Yes. Open a browser splitter in Safari or Chrome. It runs in the browser, so you don’t need to install anything, and the file stays on your phone.

Why don’t the page numbers match my document?

PDF viewers count every page from the first one, including covers and blank pages. The numbers printed on the pages often start later. Always use the PDF viewer’s numbers when you type ranges.