Split a PDF into multiple files
Split any PDF into individual pages or custom ranges. Pick exactly the pages you need, or auto-split into equal chunks. Each split produces its own downloadable PDF.
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Splitting a PDF is essential when you need just a few pages from a long document — extracting one chapter from a textbook, pulling a single contract section to send to a counterparty, or breaking a 200-page report into manageable chunks for review. PDFOnly's PDF splitter lets you specify exactly which pages you want, in any combination, and outputs each range as a separate PDF in a single ZIP download. The split is lossless: page content, fonts, images, and metadata are preserved exactly.
How to split pdf step by step
- 1
Upload your PDF
Click the dropzone or drag your PDF directly. The file uploads to our isolated processing servers over an encrypted connection. Files up to 100 MB are supported on the free plan, 200 MB on Pro.
- 2
Pick a split mode
Two options: 'By ranges' lets you specify exact pages (e.g. '1-3, 5, 7-10' creates three output PDFs). 'Every N pages' breaks the document into uniform chunks (every 5 pages becomes its own PDF, for example). Each comma-separated range becomes one output file.
- 3
Click Split PDF
We process the split server-side using a streaming page extraction — no re-rendering, no quality loss. The result is ready in seconds even for 500-page PDFs.
- 4
Download the ZIP or individual files
You'll get a ZIP archive containing each output PDF as a separate file (split_01.pdf, split_02.pdf, etc.), plus individual download links if you only need some of them. Links expire in one hour.
Why split pdf on PDFOnly
Flexible range syntax
Type ranges in plain English: '1-3, 5, 7-10' creates three files. Most splitters force you into a rigid wizard — we let you describe exactly what you want in one input field.
Lossless page extraction
Each split file contains the original PDF objects copied verbatim — no re-rendering, no font substitution, no image recompression. Open any output and it's indistinguishable from the source.
Handles large PDFs
Tested on 1000+ page legal exhibits and 500 MB scanned documents. Most desktop apps stall on files this size; we stream the page tree and split in seconds.
Free for the basics
Splitting is one of the most-needed PDF tasks and shouldn't be paywalled. Free users get the same speed and quality as Pro — just with smaller per-file limits.
What people use split pdf for
A few common scenarios. If your workflow looks like one of these, this tool is a good fit.
Extract a single chapter from a long PDF
Pull pages 47-89 from a 400-page textbook to send to a study group. They get only what's relevant, and your bandwidth doesn't suffer.
Break a long report into review chunks
Split an annual report into 10-page sections so you can assign each to a different reviewer in parallel. Auto-split makes this one click.
Isolate a contract clause for redlining
Extract just pages 12-15 (the indemnification section) and send those for legal review without exposing the entire contract.
Separate scanned multi-document PDFs
If your scanner combined multiple documents into one PDF, split them back into individual files by their page boundaries.
Create a sample preview from a paid PDF
Authors and educators often need to share a 10-page sample of a 200-page resource. Split out just those pages without ever revealing the rest.
What you get
- Split by exact page ranges (1-3, 5, 7-10) — pick any combination you need
- Auto-split into chunks of N pages — perfect for breaking up long reports
- Lossless extraction — each output PDF is bit-for-bit equivalent to its source pages
- Bulk-download all pieces as a single ZIP, or individually
- Works with PDFs up to 100 MB free, 200 MB on Pro
- No watermarks on output, ever
- Files auto-delete in one hour for privacy
Frequently asked questions
Can I split a PDF into two halves with one click?
Yes — use the 'Every N pages' mode and set N to half your page count. For a 50-page PDF, set N=25 and you'll get two 25-page outputs. Or use ranges: '1-25, 26-50' produces the same result.
What's the maximum PDF size I can split?
Free: 100 MB upload. Pro: 200 MB. Team & Enterprise: 1 GB+. There's no hard limit on the number of pages — we've successfully split 5000-page PDFs.
Can I split a password-protected PDF?
Not while it's encrypted. Use our Unlock PDF tool first with the password, then split the unlocked version. We don't crack unknown passwords.
Does the split preserve bookmarks and links?
Yes. Each output PDF retains the bookmarks and internal links that fall within its page range. Links pointing to pages outside the range are removed (since their target no longer exists).
Can I split by chapter or bookmark instead of page numbers?
Bookmark-based split is in development. Today, look at the bookmark's target page in your PDF reader and use that as the range start. We'll surface bookmarks as auto-detected split points soon.
Are the resulting PDFs smaller than splitting them in desktop software?
Yes — we copy only the necessary objects per output, so each file is as compact as possible. Some desktop tools embed every font and image used by the entire source PDF into each output, which makes them needlessly larger.
Will splitting reset the page numbering inside the PDF?
Each output PDF will renumber its pages starting from 1 in viewers that show physical page numbers. If your PDF has printed page numbers as part of the page content (e.g. a footer), those stay as they were — only the PDF's internal numbering resets.
Ready to split pdf?
Free to use for the basics. Files are auto-deleted within an hour and never used to train AI.
Open Split PDF