How to Split a PDF
Learn how to split PDF files. Free guide.
About How To Split A PDF
Splitting a PDF extracts specific pages or ranges into separate files. PDF AI Tools gives you three split modes — by page range, every N pages, or extract specific pages — all processed locally in the browser with no upload required.
While most free tools only split at a fixed interval, PDF AI Tools supports multi-range extraction (e.g., pages 1–5, 12–15, and 22), custom naming for each output file, and batch download as a ZIP.
How We Compare
Compared to desktop alternatives like Adobe Acrobat Pro (starting at $19.99/month), Smallpdf ($12/month for unlimited), or iLovePDF ($9/month Premium), PDF AI Tools delivers comparable quality at $0 for the core feature set. We skip the subscription friction by processing most operations directly in your browser with WebAssembly — no server infrastructure costs to pass on to users. Our AI features (summarization, chat, OCR) use a pay-as-you-go backend that keeps your total cost well under $5/month even for power users.
How to Use How to Split a PDF
- Step 1: Upload your PDF to the Split PDF tool
- Step 2: Choose split mode: range, interval, or individual pages
- Step 3: Define your ranges or select pages to extract
- Step 4: Click Split and download individual files or a ZIP archive
Why Choose PDF AI Tools
We've built PDF AI Tools to replace expensive desktop software like Adobe Acrobat for 95% of common document workflows — at zero cost to you. Unlike competitors who gate features behind paywalls, add watermarks, or limit file sizes, our tools are genuinely free and genuinely unlimited. Your privacy matters: files processed client-side in your browser never touch our servers, and even AI-powered features use encrypted, auto-deleting processing pipelines.
Key Features
- Split by custom page range, every N pages, or individual pages
- Multi-range selection in a single operation
- Batch download all split files as a ZIP
- Custom output file names
- Browser-only — no upload
- Preview page thumbnails before splitting
- Preserves annotations and hyperlinks
- Works on 1000+ page documents
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I extract non-consecutive pages?
Yes — type multiple ranges separated by commas, e.g., "1-3, 7, 11-15".
Does splitting damage the original?
No — the tool creates new output files. Your original is not modified.
Can I split a password-protected PDF?
Remove the password first, then split.
How large a PDF can I split?
There is no enforced limit — 500+ MB files work without issues.