How to Split a PDF Into Separate Pages

Not every page in a PDF is relevant. Whether you need to extract a single page from a contract, pull specific chapters from a textbook, or break a large document into smaller files, splitting PDFs is a task you'll run into regularly.

When to Split a PDF

Here are the most common reasons people split PDFs:

• Extract a signature page from a multi-page contract
• Pull specific pages for sharing without sending the entire document
• Break up large files that exceed email attachment limits
• Separate chapters from a long report or ebook
• Remove unwanted pages like blank pages or cover sheets

How to Split a PDF with PDFfast

1. Open the Split PDF tool
2. Upload your PDF file
3. Select the pages you want to extract
4. Download your new PDF with just the selected pages

The process happens entirely in your browser. Your documents stay private — nothing is uploaded to any server.

Splitting Strategies

Extract a Range

Need pages 5 through 12? Select a continuous range and download them as a single file. This is perfect for extracting chapters or sections.

Pick Individual Pages

Need pages 1, 4, and 7? Select just the pages you want. This is useful when you need specific items from a larger document — like pulling certain forms from a packet.

Split Into Single Pages

Sometimes you need every page as its own file. This is common when processing scanned documents where each page is a separate record.

Combine Split with Merge

A powerful workflow is to split pages from multiple documents and then merge them into a new file. For example:

1. Extract the executive summary from Report A
2. Pull the data tables from Report B
3. Grab the conclusions from Report C
4. Merge them into a custom briefing document

Reduce File Size After Splitting

After splitting, your extracted pages might still be larger than expected — especially if the original PDF contained high-resolution images. Run the result through the Compress PDF tool to shrink it further.

Pro tip: Splitting doesn't recompress images. If you only need text content, compressing after splitting can dramatically reduce file size.

File Size Limits

PDFfast's free tier handles typical document sizes. For larger files or frequent splitting, the Pro plan gives you unlimited processing.

Start Splitting

Ready to extract the pages you need? Head to the Split PDF tool and upload your file. It's free, fast, and private.