How to split a PDF into separate files

A scanner that saved a whole stack of mail as one file. A 90-page report when someone only needs chapter three. A signed contract bundle where each party wants their own pages. Splitting a PDF is one of the most common PDF jobs, and one of the quickest.

Three ways to split

• Single pages: every page becomes its own PDF, and you download them together as one zip file.
• Fixed-size chunks: every 2, 5 or 10 pages, for example, which is useful for long scans.
• Custom ranges: exactly the pieces you describe, such as 1-4 for one file and 5-9 for another.

How to do it

1. Open Split PDF and drop in your file. Every page is shown as a thumbnail, and nothing is uploaded.
2. Choose how to split it.
3. Download the parts one at a time, or all of them as a single zip.

Writing page ranges

Use numbers and dashes, separated by commas: 1-3, 7, 10-12 means pages one to three, page seven, and pages ten to twelve. An open-ended range like 5- means page five to the end.

When you only need some pages

If you want one new file with just a few pages, use Extract pages: click the pages you want, or type a range, and save them as a new PDF. If it is easier to say what to remove, Delete pages does the opposite: click the pages to drop and download the rest.

Splitting is a good way to share only what someone needs. Sending three pages instead of ninety also means sending less of your personal information.