What this tool does
PDF Split lets you break a PDF document into smaller parts. You can extract a specific range of pages into a new PDF, or split the entire document so that each page becomes its own standalone PDF file. The tool operates in two modes: Extract Range, which creates a single PDF containing only the pages you specify, and Split All Pages, which produces a ZIP archive containing one PDF per page. All processing runs locally in your browser, so your documents are never transmitted to any server. The output files preserve the exact content of each page, including embedded fonts, images, annotations, and form fields.
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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