About split PDF
A PDF is a tree of objects with a page list at its root, and every page in that list is an independent object holding its own content stream, resource dictionary and media box. Splitting therefore does not mean cutting a file in half at some byte offset — it means building new documents and copying the chosen page objects, along with the fonts and images they reference, into each one. That is why the pieces open cleanly in any reader and why nothing is re-rendered: text stays selectable, vector art stays sharp, and scanned images keep their original compression. Because each output carries only the resources its pages actually use, individual pieces are often much smaller than the source. The parts are available as individual PDFs, and the option to download all files as a ZIP can combine multiple results so a fifty-way split can still be one download. A lone result stays a PDF, and the whole operation happens in this tab.
How to split PDF
- 01
Open your PDF
Drop the file onto the drop zone. The page count is read locally so you know what you are working with.
- 02
Pick a split method
Choose page ranges for deliberate sections, every N pages for a fixed interval, or one file per page to burst the whole document.
- 03
Describe the cut
Type ranges such as 1-3, 4, 5-9, or set how many pages each file should contain.
- 04
Split and download
Press Split PDF and save the individual PDFs, or use the option to download all files as a ZIP when there are multiple results. A lone result stays a PDF. Every piece is generated on your own device.
What this tool does
- Three split methods in one tool: explicit ranges, fixed interval, or one file per page
- Lossless page copying — no re-compression, no rasterising, no quality loss
- Individual PDFs with the option to download multiple results together as a ZIP instead of dozens of separate prompts
- Ranges can be listed in any order and overlap if you need a page in two outputs
- Local splitting within the configured page-count and file-size limits shown on the Security page, subject to available device memory
Limitations worth knowing
Every PDF tool has constraints. Stating them plainly is more useful than discovering them halfway through your work.
- Document-level bookmarks are not copied into any output, even when their target pages are included, because each output is a new document built from copied pages.
- Encrypted documents must be unlocked with their password before they can be split.
- Splitting breaks any existing digital signature, since each output is a new document.
- The configured file-size and page-count limits on the Security page apply. Available browser memory is a further limit: the source and the outputs are held in RAM at the same time.
How your file is handled
This tool runs entirely inside this browser tab. When you choose a file, your browser reads it from your own disk and hands the bytes to JavaScript running on this page — no network request carries your document anywhere. You can confirm that yourself: open your browser’s developer tools, switch to the Network panel, and run the tool. You will see no upload.
Nothing is stored after the fact. Closing or reloading this tab discards the file, the result and everything derived from them, because none of it ever left your machine. Read how local processing works.
Questions about split PDF
How do I write page ranges?
Use comma-separated ranges where each entry becomes one output file: “1-3, 4, 5-9” produces three PDFs. A single number is a one-page file, and ranges are inclusive on both ends.
Why are the split files smaller than the original divided by the number of parts?
Each output only embeds the resources its own pages reference. A font or logo used across the whole document is copied into just the pieces that need it, so sizes vary by content rather than splitting evenly.
Do I get separate downloads or one file?
Each piece is an individual PDF named by its page range. With multiple results, the option to download all files as a ZIP combines them into one download, keeping a large split to a single save dialog and avoiding the browser blocking multiple downloads. A lone result stays a PDF rather than being wrapped in a ZIP.
Are the pages re-encoded when they are copied?
No. Page objects and their referenced streams are copied byte-for-byte into the new documents, so image compression and embedded fonts are exactly as they were.
Tools that pair with this one
- Merge PDFCombine several PDFs into a single document, in the order you choose.
- Split PDF by Page RangeDescribe the sections you want and get one document per range.
- Split PDF Every N PagesCut the document at a regular interval instead of naming each section.
- Extract PDF PagesKeep only the pages you want and leave the original untouched.
- Delete PDF PagesDrop the pages you do not want and save the remaining pages as a new PDF.
- Organize PDFPut the pages of your document in the order you actually want.
Read more about this
- How to split a PDF into separate filesSplitting turns one document into many. This guide explains the three split methods, how to pick between them, and what each output does and does not inherit.5 min guide
- How to extract pages from a PDFExtraction is selection: you name the pages you want and get them as one new document, or as separate files if you prefer.4 min guide
- How to merge PDF filesJoining documents copies pages into a new PDF rather than re-rendering them. This guide covers the actual order controls and the document-level features that a merge cannot promise to preserve.5 min guide