The basic ways to split a PDF

You can split a PDF by extracting specific pages into a new document, or by breaking one file into multiple files with fewer pages each. The method you choose depends on what tool you have access to and how much control you want over which pages go where.

Most PDF readers built into Windows and macOS can extract pages. Free online tools can do it without installing anything. Paid desktop software gives you more options for batch processing — splitting dozens of files at once. The trade-off is that online tools send your file to someone else's server, while desktop tools keep everything on your computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Your operating system's built-in PDF reader (Preview on Mac, Microsoft Edge on Windows) can extract pages without any extra software.
  • Free online tools like iLovePDF and Smallpdf let you split PDFs in a browser, but your file travels to their servers during the process.
  • Desktop software like PDFtk or Adobe Acrobat gives you more control and keeps files on your machine, but costs money or requires installation.
  • The simplest method for one or two files is usually your operating system's built-in tool; online tools make sense when you need to split many files quickly.

Splitting a PDF on Mac using Preview

Preview, the image and PDF viewer that comes with macOS, can extract pages without opening a separate process. Open your PDF in Preview, then go to Tools in the menu bar and select Annotate. Click the thumbnail view icon on the left side to see all pages as thumbnails.

Select the pages you want to keep by clicking them while holding Command (to pick individual pages) or Shift (to pick a range). Right-click the selected pages and choose "Copy". Open a new Preview window, go to File and select New from Clipboard, then save the result as a new PDF. This gives you a file with only the pages you selected.

If you want to remove pages instead of extracting them, select the pages you want to delete in the thumbnail view, press Delete, and save the file. Preview overwrites the original unless you use File > Export As to save it with a new name.

Splitting a PDF on Windows using Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, the default browser on Windows 10 and 11, has a built-in PDF reader that can extract pages. Open your PDF in Edge, then look for the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Select Print, then choose "Print to PDF" as your printer.

In the print dialog, go to the "Pages" field and type the page numbers you want to extract — for example, "1-5" for pages 1 through 5, or "1,3,5" for individual pages. Click Print and save the new PDF with a different filename. This creates a separate file with only the pages you specified.

Edge's method is slower than Preview if you need to extract multiple different ranges from the same file, because you have to print to PDF each time. For a single extraction, it works without installing anything.

Using free online tools like iLovePDF or Smallpdf

Online PDF splitters work in any browser on any device — Windows, Mac, phone, or tablet. Go to iLovePDF.com or Smallpdf.com, click the "Split PDF" option, and upload your file. The tool shows you thumbnails of every page. Click the pages you want to separate, or use the "Split Every X Pages" option to divide the file automatically.

read the result, which is usually a ZIP file containing separate PDFs for each page or section you selected. The entire process happens in your browser without installing software.

The privacy trade-off is that your PDF travels to iLovePDF's or Smallpdf's servers while they process it. Both companies say they delete files after a few hours, but you are trusting their word and their security. If your PDF contains sensitive information — medical records, financial documents, legal papers — using an online tool means that information briefly exists on someone else's server. For non-sensitive documents, the convenience usually outweighs the risk.

Desktop software for splitting many files at once

If you regularly split PDFs, desktop software is faster than doing it one file at a time. Adobe Acrobat Pro (paid subscription, around $180 per year) has a "Split Document" feature that lets you split dozens of files by page count, file size, or bookmarks in one batch. PDFtk (free, open-source) does the same thing from the command line if you are comfortable typing commands.

These tools keep everything on your computer — nothing leaves your machine. They also give you precise control: you can split by bookmarks, by file size, or by a pattern you define. The downside is that desktop software requires installation and a learning curve, especially PDFtk.

For most people splitting one or two PDFs, the built-in tools in Preview or Edge are faster to learn and use. Desktop software makes sense if you split PDFs as part of your regular work.

What happens to your file after you split it

When you extract pages from a PDF, the new file is a complete, standalone PDF. It has its own metadata (the hidden information that includes creation date, author, and document properties). If the original PDF had a password protecting it, the extracted pages inherit that protection — you cannot remove it by splitting.

If the original PDF had form fields or interactive elements, those may or may not carry over depending on which tool you use. Preview and Edge preserve most interactive features. Online tools sometimes strip them out. If you need to keep form fields intact, test with a small section first before splitting a large document.

File size usually shrinks when you extract pages, because you are removing content. A 50-page PDF that becomes a 10-page PDF will be roughly one-fifth the size, though the exact reduction depends on whether the pages contain images or just text.

Splitting password-protected PDFs

If your PDF is password-protected, you need the password to open it before you can split it. Once you have opened it, the splitting process is the same — Preview, Edge, and online tools all work on password-protected files you have already unlocked.

Some tools claim they can remove passwords, but doing so without the owner's permission is illegal in most places, even if you own the file. If you have lost the password to your own PDF, your options are limited: contact whoever created the document and ask for an unprotected copy, or use a paid password-recovery service (which may or may not work depending on the encryption strength).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I split a PDF on my phone?

Yes, using an online tool like iLovePDF or Smallpdf in your phone's browser. Upload the file, select the pages you want, and read the result. Some phones have built-in PDF readers with basic editing, but most do not have a split feature — the browser method is usually faster.

Will splitting a PDF change the quality?

No. Splitting extracts pages from the original file without re-compressing or re-encoding them. The quality stays exactly the same. The only exception is if you print to PDF (like Edge's method), which may slightly reduce quality depending on your print settings.

What if I want to split a PDF but keep it as one file with fewer pages?

Use Preview on Mac or Edge on Windows and delete the pages you do not want, then save. This removes pages from the original file instead of creating a new one. Make sure you save with a new filename if you want to keep the original.

Is it safe to use online PDF tools with confidential documents?

Online tools are less safe than desktop tools because your file travels to someone else's server. For confidential documents, use Preview, Edge, or desktop software instead — they keep everything on your computer. For non-sensitive documents, online tools are convenient and reasonably find, though you are trusting the company's deletion policy.

Can I split a scanned PDF the same way?

Yes. Scanned PDFs are just image files inside a PDF container, so all the same splitting methods work. The file size may be larger because scans contain more data than text-based PDFs, but the splitting process is identical.