Free PDF Splitter - Split & Extract PDF Pages Online
Split PDF files by visual selection, custom ranges, or individual pages. 100% free, secure, and private - all processing happens in your browser.
Choose Split Mode
Drop your PDF here or click to browse
Preview pages and select which to extract
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Everything You Need to Know
Complete guide, features, use cases, and frequently asked questions
What is a PDF Splitter? Complete Guide
A PDF splitter is a powerful online tool that divides PDF documents into smaller files by extracting specific pages or page ranges. Our 2026 PDF splitter goes beyond basic splitting tools with advanced features including custom page ranges (like 1-5, 7, 10-15), individual page extraction, batch ZIP download, and complete client-side processing. Unlike traditional PDF tools that upload your files to servers, our splitter processes everything locally in your browser ensuring your sensitive documents remain completely private and secure. Perfect for professionals, students, legal teams, and anyone who needs to extract chapters from reports, separate contract sections, divide large documents, or organize PDF collections. Whether you are extracting specific pages from lengthy contracts, splitting research papers into chapters, dividing presentation materials, or organizing scanned documents, our PDF splitter provides enterprise-level features completely free. All processing happens in your browser using pdf-lib - your files never leave your device, ensuring maximum privacy, security, and GDPR compliance.
How to Use Our PDF Splitter
- Click "Choose PDF" or drag and drop your PDF file directly into the upload area
- Wait for the PDF to load - you will see the total page count displayed
- Select your split mode: "Custom Ranges" for specific pages or "Individual Pages" to split every page
- For Custom Ranges: enter page numbers like "1-5, 7, 10-15" to specify which pages to extract
- For Individual Pages: the tool will automatically create separate PDFs for each page
- Click "Split PDF" to begin processing - all operations happen in your browser
- Review the split results showing all created PDF files with their page ranges
- Download individual split PDFs one by one, or click "Download All as ZIP" for bulk download
- Your original PDF remains unchanged - split files are new copies
Key Features & Benefits
Custom Page Ranges
Extract specific pages using flexible range syntax like "1-5, 7, 10-15". Perfect for extracting relevant sections without manual page-by-page splitting.
Individual Page Splitting
Automatically split every page into separate PDF files. Ideal for distributing single-page documents or processing scanned multi-page files.
Batch Download as ZIP
Download all split PDFs as a single ZIP archive for easy organization and sharing. No need to download files one by one.
Instant Page Count
See total page count immediately after upload. Know the document size before deciding how to split it.
Client-Side Processing
All PDF splitting happens in your browser using pdf-lib. Your files never leave your device - verify it in browser DevTools.
Preserve Quality
Original PDF quality is maintained. Text stays searchable, images remain crisp, hyperlinks work, and formatting is preserved.
Common Use Cases
Contract & Legal Documents
Extract specific sections from lengthy contracts, separate exhibits from agreements, divide multi-party contracts, or isolate signature pages for easier review and distribution.
Academic Paper Division
Split research papers into chapters, extract specific sections for citations, separate appendices from main content, or divide thesis documents for committee review.
Report Section Extraction
Extract executive summaries from full reports, separate financial sections from narrative content, isolate charts and graphs, or divide quarterly reports into monthly sections.
Scanned Document Processing
Split multi-page scans into individual documents, separate mixed scanned files into categories, extract specific pages from bulk scans, or organize digitized archives.
Presentation Materials
Extract handout pages from slide decks, separate presentation sections for different speakers, isolate reference slides, or create custom presentation subsets.
Form & Template Extraction
Extract blank forms from form packets, separate different form types from collections, isolate templates from instruction pages, or create form libraries from compilations.
Why Choose Our PDF Splitter
- ✓Flexible Splitting: Custom page ranges AND individual page splitting in one tool. Choose the method that fits your needs.
- ✓Privacy First: Zero server uploads. All splitting happens locally in your browser using pdf-lib library.
- ✓No File Size Limits: Split PDFs of any size, limited only by your device memory. No arbitrary restrictions or premium tiers.
- ✓Unlimited Usage: Split as many PDFs as often as you need without daily limits, credits, or forced upgrades.
- ✓100% Free Forever: No hidden fees, no subscriptions, no watermarks. Professional-grade features at no cost.
- ✓ZIP Download: Download all split files as organized ZIP archive. Perfect for sharing or archiving multiple files.
- ✓Quality Preservation: Original PDF quality maintained. Text searchable, images crisp, hyperlinks functional.
- ✓Smart Page Parsing: Intelligent range parser handles "1-5", "1,3,5", "1-3,5,7-9" and validates against actual page count.
- ✓Fast Processing: Client-side processing means no upload/download delays. Split happens instantly on your device.
- ✓Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices. Any modern browser works perfectly.
PDF Splitter Comparison - How We Compare to Competitors
| Feature | 10xTools PDF Splitter | iLovePDF | Smallpdf | PDF Split & Merge | Soda PDF | Adobe Acrobat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Free Forever) | ✅ 100% Free | ❌ Freemium | ❌ $12/month | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid Plans | ❌ $20/month |
| No Upload Required | ✅ No Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload |
| Custom Page Ranges | ✅ Full Support | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported |
| Individual Page Split | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ❌ No | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported |
| ZIP Download | ✅ ZIP Export | ✅ ZIP Export | ✅ ZIP Export | ❌ No ZIP | ✅ ZIP Export | ❌ No ZIP |
| No File Size Limits | ✅ No Limits | ❌ Size Limits | ❌ Size Limits | ❌ Size Limits | ❌ Size Limits | ✅ No Limits |
| Unlimited Usage | ✅ Unlimited | ❌ Daily Limit | ❌ 2/Day | ✅ Unlimited | ❌ Limited | ❌ Limited |
| Privacy (Client-Side) | ✅ 100% Private | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload | ❌ Server Upload |
| No Registration | ✅ No Signup | ❌ Signup Required | ❌ Signup Required | ❌ No Signup | ❌ Signup Required | ❌ Signup Required |
| Quality Preservation | ✅ Original Quality | ✅ Original Quality | ✅ Original Quality | ✅ Original Quality | ✅ Original Quality | ✅ Original Quality |
✅ = Feature Available | ❌ = Not Available or Limited
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I split password-protected PDFs?
Currently, password-protected PDFs cannot be split. You need to remove the password protection first using your PDF software, then split the unprotected file. This is a limitation of client-side processing.
Will the split PDFs maintain the original quality?
Yes! Our PDF splitter preserves the original quality of all content. Text remains searchable and selectable, images keep their resolution, hyperlinks stay functional, and formatting is maintained. We use pdf-lib which extracts pages without re-rendering.
How do I specify page ranges?
Use commas to separate individual pages or ranges, and hyphens for ranges. Examples: "1-5" (pages 1 through 5), "1,3,5" (pages 1, 3, and 5 only), "1-3,5,7-9" (pages 1-3, 5, and 7-9). The tool validates ranges against your PDF page count.
Are my PDFs uploaded to your servers?
No! All PDF processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript and pdf-lib. You can verify this by opening browser DevTools (F12) and checking the Network tab - you will see no file uploads. Your documents never leave your device.
What happens to the original PDF after splitting?
Your original PDF file remains completely unchanged. Splitting creates new PDF files as copies of the specified pages. The original file stays intact on your device.
Can I download all split PDFs at once?
Yes! Use the "Download All as ZIP" button to download all split PDF files in a single organized ZIP archive. This is much faster than downloading files individually and keeps everything organized.
Is there a limit to how many pages I can split?
No, there is no limit on the number of pages you can split. However, very large PDFs (1000+ pages) may take time to process and be limited by your device memory and browser capabilities. For most users, splitting typical documents (10-500 pages) works perfectly.
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