In this article
Someone asks for page 7 of your 60-page report. Or the portal accepts files of 2 MB and yours is 14. Or you scanned a pile of bills in one go and now each one has to go to a different department. In every case the answer is the same: cut the one PDF into several.
This guide shows how to pick the right split, how the numbers work out, and how splitting fits with compressing, merging and extracting. Always check what the other side actually requires, such as a size limit, a page limit or a file name, before you cut.
Which tool for which job
Four related jobs sound similar but need different tools. Choosing the right one saves a lot of fiddling.
| You want to… | Use | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Make every page its own file | Split PDF, one page per file | One PDF per page |
| Cut the file into equal chunks | Split PDF, fixed pages per file | Several PDFs of the same page count |
| Keep only certain pages, such as 3 to 7 | Extract PDF Pages | One PDF with just those pages |
| Remove unwanted pages and keep the rest | Delete PDF Pages | One PDF without those pages |
| Reorder or rearrange pages | PDF Page Organizer | One PDF in a new order |
| Join PDFs together | Merge PDF | One combined PDF |
Splitting is for dividing a file into many. If you want one new file from part of the original, extracting is the better fit.
How the two modes work
One page per file
Every page becomes its own PDF. A 12-page document gives 12 files. This suits a scan of separate documents, such as a pile of receipts or forms, where each page is a different item.
A fixed number of pages per file
You choose a number, for example 5, and the tool cuts the document into parts of that length. The last part holds whatever is left over, so it can be shorter.
23 ÷ 5 = 4 full parts plus 3 pages left over, so you get 5 files. The number of files is the page count divided by the part size, rounded up.
The files are named after your original with a number, such as report-page-1.pdf for single pages or report-part-1.pdf for parts. You can download them one by one or all together. One limit to know: the tool will not create more than 200 files in one go. If a split would make more, it asks you to use a bigger part size.
Splitting to beat a size limit
This is the most common reason people split. A portal accepts 5 MB and your file is 18 MB, so you cut it into parts and upload them separately. Two things surprise people.
- Equal pages are not equal megabytes. A page with a big scanned picture can weigh 3 MB while a page of text weighs 30 KB. Cutting a file into parts of 5 pages does not give parts of the same size.
- The parts can add up to a little more than the original. Each new file carries its own copy of anything the pages share, such as fonts, so the total can be slightly larger than the file you started with.
If the portal needs a single file, do not split. Compress the PDF instead, or both: compress first, then split only if it is still over the limit.
- 1Remove what you do not needUse Delete PDF Pages to drop blank or irrelevant pages.
- 2CompressTry the Balanced level in the PDF Compressor.
- 3Split only if neededIf the limit is per file and several files are allowed, cut it into parts.
- 4Check each partLook at the size of every part, since they will differ.
Compressing before splitting keeps every part small, so you need fewer parts.
Pulling out just the pages you need
If someone wants pages 3 to 7 from a longer file, you do not need to split everything and throw most of it away. Open Extract PDF Pages, enter the pages you want and get one new PDF with only those. If it is easier to say what to remove, Delete PDF Pages does the opposite. Both keep the original untouched.
What splitting can and cannot keep
- Text stays as text. Splitting copies the pages as they are. Text remains selectable and searchable, unlike compression, which can turn pages into pictures.
- Bookmarks and some interactive features may not carry over to the new files, so a split-off part might not have the original clickable contents list.
- Digital signatures do not survive. A signature belongs to the whole original file, so a part cut from it is a new, unsigned document.
- Password-protected files. If a PDF is locked, remove the password first with Unlock PDF, if you are allowed to, then split it.
Private and quick on any device
Documents that need splitting are often the sensitive ones: a long bank statement, a stack of medical bills, a contract. The tool works in your browser, so the file is not sent to a server. It also runs on a phone: tap the box, choose the PDF, set the mode and split.
A locked file cannot be split until the password is removed. See how to remove a password from a PDF. If you need one page as a picture, convert a PDF page to JPG or PNG.
Related guides: how to extract pages from a PDF, how to delete pages from a PDF.
Questions people ask
How do I split a PDF into separate pages?
Open the Split PDF tool, choose your PDF, set Split into to One page per file and press Split PDF. Each page is saved as its own PDF, which you can download one by one or all together.
How can I split a PDF into equal parts?
Choose Fixed pages per file, enter the number of pages for each part and split. A 23-page file with 5 pages per part gives four parts of 5 pages and one of 3.
How do I extract only certain pages from a PDF?
Use the Extract PDF Pages tool and enter the pages you want, for example 3 to 7. You get one new PDF with just those pages. Split PDF is for cutting a file into many pieces.
Can I split a PDF by page range, like pages 1 to 10 and 11 to 20?
The Split PDF tool splits into single pages or equal-sized parts. For ranges like 1 to 10, set 10 pages per file, or extract each range with Extract PDF Pages.
Does splitting a PDF reduce its quality?
No. Pages are copied as they are, so text stays sharp and searchable and pictures are not recompressed.
Why are the split files different sizes?
Because pages differ in weight. A page with a large picture takes far more space than a page of text, so equal page counts do not give equal file sizes.
Is there a limit to how many files I can create?
The tool creates up to 200 files in one split. If your choice would create more, increase the number of pages per file.
Is it safe to split a PDF online?
It is safest when the work happens on your device. The Split PDF tool on Toolcloak runs in your browser, so your document is not uploaded.