How to Split a PDF Online — Extract Pages for Free
Splitting a PDF separates a multi-page document into smaller files — either by extracting a specific range of pages, dividing it into equal chunks, or separating every page into its own PDF. This is one of the most commonly needed PDF operations: extracting a single chapter from an e-book, pulling one invoice out of a quarterly statement, or separating a merged application pack back into its component documents.
Three split modes
Split by page range — enter a comma-separated list like "1-3, 5, 8-12" to extract exactly the pages you need. Each range or individual page becomes a separate PDF in the ZIP. Split every N pages — divides the document into equal chunks. A 40-page report split every 10 pages produces four 10-page PDFs. Split all pages — every page becomes an individual PDF file, packaged as a ZIP.
How the splitting works
PDF-lib and JSZip run entirely inside your browser. When you confirm a split, PDF-lib extracts the specified pages and writes them to individual PDF documents. JSZip bundles all output files into a single ZIP download. No content is re-encoded — text, images, and embedded fonts are copied verbatim from the source pages. Your original PDF is never uploaded or stored anywhere.
When splitting is better than extracting and re-merging
If you need a specific subset of pages without touching the rest, splitting is faster and less error-prone than splitting everything and selectively re-merging. Use the page range mode to extract a single invoice from a 200-page statement in a few seconds, rather than working page-by-page through an organiser.
Handling password-protected PDFs
Password-protected PDFs cannot be split directly. First use the PDF unlock tool to remove the password (you will need to know it), then split the unlocked file. After splitting, you can re-protect individual sections with the PDF protector if needed.
Related PDF tools
Need to do the reverse? Merge PDFs back together. To reorder pages within a document before splitting, use the PDF organiser. To convert the split pages to images, try PDF to JPG.