In this article
A PDF never seems to be the right shape. The scanner added a blank page at the end. The bank statement has a promotional page you do not need. The form has six pages and the portal wants only four. You can open an editor and fight with it, or you can type the page numbers you want gone and get a clean copy back. This guide shows the second way, and explains the small rules that make it work first time.
How to delete pages from a PDF, step by step
- Open the Delete PDF Pages tool.
- Choose your PDF, or drop it onto the box.
- In Pages to delete, type the page numbers. The box starts with
2and showse.g. 2, 5-6as a hint. - Press Delete pages.
- The note under the button tells you how many pages were removed and how many remain. Download the file.
How the page list is read
You can type single pages, ranges or a mix. Commas, spaces and semicolons all work as separators. Here is what each entry does on a 10-page PDF.
| You type | Pages removed | Pages left |
|---|---|---|
2 | 2 | 9 |
2, 5-6 | 2, 5 and 6 | 7 |
1 3 5 | 1, 3 and 5 | 7 |
8- | 8, 9 and 10 | 7 |
-3 | 1, 2 and 3 | 7 |
4-4 | 4 only | 9 |
A range that ends with a dash, like 8-, means “from 8 to the last page”. A range that starts with a dash, like -3, means “from page 1 to 3”.
The remaining pages keep their order. They are simply renumbered from 1 in the new file.
The typical mistake is counting the printed page number on the paper instead of the position in the file. If a report starts numbering at the third sheet, its page labelled “1” may be page 3 of the PDF. The tool always counts position in the file, the same way your PDF viewer’s page counter does.
Common jobs and what to type
1. Useful for removing a cover sheet or a fax header.12- if the file has 12 pages. Good for a blank page left by a scanner.4-7. Handy for removing an annexure you do not want to send.2, 9, 14. Each number goes on its own.If you plan to keep just a few pages out of many, it is quicker to use the Extract PDF Pages tool, which works the other way round.
Which tool to pick depends on how many pages you are keeping.
| You want to… | Best tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Remove a few pages and keep most | Delete PDF Pages | Type only what goes |
| Keep a few pages and drop most | Extract PDF Pages | Type only what stays |
| Cut a PDF into separate files | Split PDF | Makes several files, see our split guide |
| Put pages in a different order | PDF Page Organizer | Moves pages rather than removing them |
| Fix pages that are sideways | Rotate PDF | Read the rotate guide |
Deleting a page is not the same as hiding what is on it
A deleted page is left out of the new file. That is different from drawing a black box over a name, which leaves the page in place. If you are removing a page because it holds details that should not travel, delete the whole page rather than covering it.
- The page is not copied into the new file
- Nothing underneath to recover
- Best when the whole page is sensitive
- The page remains in the file
- Some covers can be moved or lifted away
- Needs a proper redaction tool, not a rectangle
When in doubt, remove the page, keep your original for yourself, and send only the clean copy.
If the clean copy still carries your name in hidden fields, the PDF Metadata Remover takes those out. And for a file that must stay private on its way, add a password as the very last step.
What the new file keeps, and what may change
The tool does not edit your file in place. It builds a new PDF from the pages you keep. The text, pictures and layout of those pages come across. Things that belong to the whole document rather than a single page, such as bookmarks and the document title, may not carry over, so check the result if you rely on them.
- File size depends on what stays. Removing pages usually makes a file smaller, but not always by much. If the size matters for an upload, run the result through the PDF Compressor, and read how to get under an upload limit.
- Your original is safe. The new copy has a different name, so nothing is overwritten.
- Locked files need unlocking first. If the PDF asks for a password to open, use Unlock PDF and then come back.
Mistakes that waste a second try
- Typing a letter or a word. Only numbers, commas, spaces, semicolons and dashes are understood. You will see a message saying what could not be read.
- Using a number past the end. Page 15 in a 12-page file gives an error, not a guess.
- Trying to delete everything. The tool refuses, because that would leave an empty file.
- Counting printed page labels instead of the position in the file, as described above.
- Deleting before merging. If you plan to combine several PDFs, merge them first and then delete from the combined file, because the page numbers are easier to see in one place.
On a phone
Everything works the same on a phone. Tap the box to choose the PDF from your files, type the page numbers, and tap the button. Because the file is handled inside the browser and not sent anywhere, it also works on a slow connection once the page has loaded. For a scanned file from your camera, the JPG to PDF guide explains how to make a clean PDF first.
Questions people ask
How do I delete a page from a PDF for free?
Open the Delete PDF Pages tool, choose your file, type the page number, such as 2, and press Delete pages. Download the new file. Your original is not changed, and the new copy has “-clean” added to its name.
pdf se page kaise delete kare?
Delete PDF Pages tool kholiye, apni PDF chuniye, Pages to delete mein page number likhiye jaise 2 ya 2, 5-6, aur Delete pages dabaiye. Naya file download hoga jisme woh pages nahi honge. Asli file waisi hi rahegi.
How do I delete several pages at once?
Type them together, separated by commas or spaces, and use a dash for a range. For example 2, 5-6 removes page 2 and pages 5 and 6. A range like 8- removes page 8 to the last page.
How do I delete the last page of a PDF?
Type the number of the last page. In a 12-page file that is 12, or you can type 12- as well. Open the PDF first to check how many pages it has.
Can I delete the first page of a PDF?
Yes. Type 1 in the Pages to delete box. This is the usual way to remove a cover sheet or a blank first page.
Will deleting pages change the rest of my PDF?
The pages you keep come across with their text, pictures and order. The tool builds a new file, so document-wide extras such as bookmarks or the title may not carry over. Check the result if you rely on them.
Is it safe to delete pages from a PDF online?
It is safest when the file stays on your device. The Delete PDF Pages tool works in your browser, so your document is not uploaded.
Why does the tool say I cannot delete every page?
Deleting all pages would leave an empty file, so the tool stops you. Remove only the pages you do not want, or use Extract PDF Pages to keep just the ones you need.