# PDF Split

> Extract specific pages or split a PDF into individual page files.

**Category:** Media
**Keywords:** pdf, split, extract, pages, separate, pdf splitter, document
**URL:** https://complete.tools/pdf-split

## How it works

After you upload a PDF, the tool parses it with pdf-lib to determine the total page count. In Extract Range mode, you enter page numbers and ranges using a simple syntax: individual pages separated by commas and consecutive ranges expressed with hyphens, such as "1-3, 5, 7-10". The tool validates your input against the actual page count, then creates a new PDF and copies only the specified pages into it. In Split All Pages mode, the tool iterates through every page, creates a separate single-page PDF for each one, and packages all of them into a ZIP archive using JSZip. Each output file is named sequentially (page-001.pdf, page-002.pdf, etc.) for easy sorting. Because pages are copied at the PDF object level rather than re-rendered, the operation is lossless and typically completes in seconds even for documents with hundreds of pages.

## Who should use this

Tax preparers extracting specific schedules from a full return to send to different recipients. Authors pulling individual chapters from a manuscript for separate review. HR departments splitting a multi-employee benefits document into individual notices. Researchers extracting the methodology section from a journal article for a literature review. Architects isolating specific floor plans from a large drawing set.

## Worked examples

Example 1: A tax accountant has a 48-page client return and needs to send only the state filing (pages 31-42) to a state tax authority. She uploads the full return, enters "31-42" in the page range field, and downloads a 12-page PDF containing exactly those pages. File size drops from 2.8 MB to approximately 700 KB.

Example 2: A professor has a 300-page textbook PDF and wants to distribute Chapter 5 (pages 89-124) as a reading assignment. He uploads the file, enters "89-124", and extracts a 36-page PDF. The images and equations on each page are preserved exactly.

Example 3: A conference organizer receives a 15-page program booklet and needs each page as a separate file for printing on different paper stocks. She selects Split All Pages mode and downloads a ZIP containing 15 individual PDFs (page-001.pdf through page-015.pdf), each approximately 200 KB.

## Limitations

Password-protected PDFs cannot be split. The password must be removed first. Cross-page elements like headers that span across a continuous layout are part of each individual page and will appear on every extracted page normally, but linked table-of-contents entries pointing to pages not included in the extract will become broken links. The page range parser accepts only positive integers and hyphenated ranges; reversed ranges like "10-5" are rejected. When splitting very large documents (1,000+ pages) into individual files, the ZIP generation may take longer and consume significant memory.

## FAQs

**Q:** What format should I use for page ranges?


**A:** Use comma-separated numbers and hyphenated ranges. For example, "1-3, 5, 7-10" extracts pages 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Duplicate page numbers are automatically removed.


**Q:** Does splitting reduce the quality of the pages?


**A:** No. Pages are copied at the structural level, not re-rendered. Text, images, and vector graphics remain identical to the original.


**Q:** Can I extract non-consecutive pages into one file?


**A:** Yes. The Extract Range mode supports any combination of individual pages and ranges. Entering "1, 5, 10-12" produces a single 5-page PDF containing those specific pages in order.


**Q:** What happens in Split All Pages mode?


**A:** Every page is saved as its own PDF file, and all files are bundled into a single ZIP download. File names are zero-padded (page-001.pdf, page-002.pdf) for correct alphabetical sorting.

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*Generated from [complete.tools/pdf-split](https://complete.tools/pdf-split)*