The basic way to separate pages in a PDF

Most PDF readers let you extract individual pages or groups of pages into new files. The exact steps depend on which tool you use, but the principle is the same: you open the PDF, select the pages you want to keep, and save them as a new document. You do not need special software — the free tools that come with Windows, Mac, or Linux can handle this, as can free online tools that run in your browser.

The fastest method for most people is to use your PDF reader's built-in export or save function. If you use Adobe Acrobat Reader (the free version), you can open a PDF, right-click on a page thumbnail in the left panel, and choose "Extract Pages". If you use Preview on Mac, you can select pages in the thumbnail panel, then go to File > Export as PDF. On Windows, Microsoft Edge's built-in PDF reader lets you right-click a page and save it separately.

If your PDF reader does not have this feature, or if you need to split many PDFs at once, a free online tool like iLovePDF, Smallpdf, or PDF.io can do the job in your browser without installing anything. You upload the file, select which pages to extract, and read the result.

Key Takeaways

  • Most free PDF readers built into Windows, Mac, and Linux can extract pages without any additional software.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader's free version lets you right-click page thumbnails and choose "Extract Pages" to save them as a new PDF.
  • Online tools like iLovePDF or Smallpdf work in your browser and are useful if your PDF reader lacks extraction features.
  • When you extract pages, the original PDF stays unchanged — the new file contains only the pages you selected.

Using Adobe Acrobat Reader on Windows or Mac

Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader. On the left side of the window, you will see a panel with thumbnail images of each page. Click on the first page you want to extract, then hold Shift and click on the last page if you want a range, or hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click individual pages if you want non-consecutive ones.

Right-click on one of the selected page thumbnails and choose "Extract Pages". A dialog box will appear asking where you want to save the new file and what to name it. Choose your location, type a name, and click Save. The new PDF will contain only the pages you selected.

If you want to delete pages from the original PDF instead of extracting them to a new file, you can right-click and choose "Delete Pages". This changes the original file, so make a copy first if you might need those pages later.

Using Preview on Mac

Open your PDF in Preview (the default Mac PDF reader). Click the thumbnail icon in the toolbar at the top to show the page thumbnails on the left. Select the pages you want to keep by clicking the first one, then holding Shift and clicking the last one for a range, or holding Command and clicking individual pages.

Go to File in the menu bar, then choose "Export as PDF". Name your new file and choose where to save it. The exported PDF will contain only the pages you selected. The original file remains unchanged.

If you want to remove pages from the original file instead, select the pages you do not want, right-click them, and choose "Delete". Save the file when you are done.

Using Microsoft Edge on Windows

Open your PDF in Microsoft Edge (the default browser on Windows). Look for the page thumbnails panel on the left side. If you do not see it, click the three-dot menu in the top right and select "Show page thumbnails".

Right-click on a page thumbnail and choose "Save page as image" to save that single page as a picture file, or select multiple pages by holding Ctrl and clicking, then right-click and look for export options. Edge's PDF tools are more limited than Adobe Reader or Preview, so if you need to extract many pages or create a new PDF from them, an online tool may be faster.

Using free online PDF tools

Go to iLovePDF.com, Smallpdf.com, or PDF.io in your web browser. Look for an option that says "Split PDF" or "Extract Pages". Click it and upload your PDF file. The tool will show you thumbnails of all the pages.

Select the pages you want to keep by clicking them (most tools let you click multiple pages while holding Ctrl or Command). Some tools let you drag pages to reorder them if you want the extracted pages in a different order than they appear in the original. When you are done selecting, click a button like "Extract" or "read", and the new PDF will read to your computer.

Online tools are useful because they work on any device with a browser and do not require you to install software. The trade-off is that you are uploading your file to someone else's server. If your PDF contains sensitive information, check the tool's privacy policy first, or use a tool that runs entirely in your browser without sending files to a server (some free tools offer this option).

Extracting pages versus deleting pages

When you extract pages, you create a new PDF file with only those pages. The original file stays the same. This is the safer choice if you might need the original file later or want to keep both versions.

When you delete pages, you permanently remove them from the original file. Some PDF readers let you delete pages directly (Adobe Reader and Preview both have this option), but you cannot undo the deletion once you save the file. Always save a backup copy of the original before deleting pages.

If you are not sure which approach to use, extract first. You can always delete the original file later if you do not need it, but you cannot recover deleted pages unless you have a backup.

Handling PDFs that are locked or scanned images

Some PDFs are locked with permissions that prevent copying or extracting pages. If you try to extract pages and get an error message, the PDF may have restrictions. Some free online tools can remove these restrictions, but this only works if the PDF does not have a password. If it does have a password, you will need the password to proceed.

Scanned PDFs (files created by photographing or scanning paper documents) are technically images, not text. Most PDF readers can still extract the pages as image files, but you cannot edit the text inside them. If you need to edit a scanned PDF, you may need optical character recognition (OCR) software, which converts the image to searchable text — but that is a separate process from splitting pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reorder pages when I extract them?

Most desktop PDF readers do not let you reorder pages during extraction — they extract pages in the order they appear in the original file. Online tools like iLovePDF and Smallpdf often let you drag pages to reorder them before you read. If you need to reorder pages after extraction, you can use a PDF editor or an online tool designed for merging and reordering PDFs.

What happens to the original PDF when I extract pages?

The original file is not changed. Extracting creates a new PDF file with only the pages you selected. The original stays exactly as it was. If you want to remove pages from the original, you have to delete them separately, which does change the original file.

Can I extract pages from a password-protected PDF?

If the PDF is password-protected to prevent opening it, you need the password first. If it is protected only against copying or extracting, some online tools can remove that restriction, but only if there is no password. If both protections are in place, you will need the password to proceed.

Is it safe to upload my PDF to an online tool?

Most reputable online PDF tools delete your file from their servers after a few hours, but you are still sending it to someone else's computer. If your PDF contains sensitive information like financial records or medical details, check the tool's privacy policy first. Some tools offer a "privacy mode" that processes files locally in your browser without uploading them to a server.

Why does my extracted PDF look different from the original?

If the extracted PDF looks blurry, has missing images, or shows formatting problems, the original file may be a scanned image rather than a true PDF. Scanned PDFs sometimes lose quality when extracted. Try extracting again with a different tool, or use OCR software if you need to edit the text inside.