Split PDF
- 100 % in the browser
- No server uploads
- Free forever
To split a PDF, drop the file into the box above. Choose “Every page” to turn each page into its own PDF, or “Ranges” and type something like “1-3, 4-10”. Tap “Split PDF” and download the parts as a ZIP or one by one. Your PDF is not uploaded; it is split on your own device.
How to split a PDF
Choose your PDF
Drag your PDF into the box above or tap “Choose PDF”. You then see every page as a small preview with its number.
Choose how to split
“Every page” turns each page into its own PDF. With “Ranges” you decide which pages stay together, for example “1-3, 4-10”. Below each preview you see which part the page goes into.
Split the PDF
Tap “Split PDF”. Your device copies the pages into new PDFs, usually within a few seconds.
Download the parts
With “ZIP” you get all parts in one file, such as “contract-pdf.zip”. With “Separately” you download each PDF on its own, such as “contract-page-1.pdf” or “contract-part-1.pdf”.
When do you need this?
Send only the pages that matter
Share just the relevant pages of a long contract, bank statement or manual. The range “4-6” gives you exactly those pages as a separate PDF.
Upload limits on portals
Many job portals, government sites and insurers only accept files up to 5 or 10 MB. Split a large PDF into smaller parts and upload them one after another.
Break up a batch scan
Scanned several letters or invoices in one go? Split the stack into separate documents, for example with “1-2, 3, 4-7”, and file each one on its own.
Course notes and e-books by chapter
Split a thick reader or manual into chapters. Smaller files open faster on phones and tablets and are easier to pass on.
Split a PDF: built-in tools or Filemanta?
Hardly any device has a built-in “split PDF” feature. Usually the only way is “Print” with a page range, once for every part. On a Mac, Preview can do it too: drag pages from the sidebar onto the desktop.
Filemanta splits into as many parts as you like in one go. Pages are copied unchanged, not reprinted: text stays selectable and images keep their quality.
| Feature | Built-in tools | With Filemanta |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Print with “Microsoft Print to PDF” and a page range, once per part | All parts in one go |
| Mac | Preview: drag pages out of the sidebar | Every page or ranges, one click |
| iPhone and iPad | No built-in tool, only the print workaround | In the browser, no app |
| Android | Usually no built-in feature | Works in Chrome and any current browser |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Splitting only with a subscription | Free, no limit |
| Text and links | The print workaround usually loses links | Pages are copied 1:1 |
Good to know
- How to write ranges: Separate ranges with a comma: “1-3, 4-10”. A single number like “5” is just that page. “8-” means from page 8 to the end. Spaces don’t matter.
- Pages stay unchanged: Pages are copied 1:1, not reprinted and not turned into images. Text stays selectable and searchable, and every page keeps its size and orientation.
- Put parts back together: Split too much? With Merge PDF you turn the parts back into one document, in any order you like.
- What doesn’t carry over: The table of contents in the sidebar (bookmarks) is not kept. Fillable form fields become fixed text with their content. A digital signature is no longer valid after splitting.
Tip: Pages that are not in any range are faded in the preview. That way you can check before splitting that nothing is missing.
Note: Protected PDFs (with a password or editing restrictions) can’t be split. Open the file in a PDF app and save a copy as PDF via “Print”. You can then use that copy here.
Troubleshooting
Why is my PDF rejected as “protected”?
The PDF is encrypted: either with a password to open it or with restrictions that forbid changes. The browser can’t take such files apart. Open the PDF in a PDF app, enter the password if needed, and save an unprotected copy via “Print” → “Save as PDF”.
“There is no page 12”: what does that mean?
You entered a page number that is higher than the PDF has pages. The page count is shown at the top next to the file name. Count with the numbers below the previews, not the page numbers printed in the document. Those often start only after the cover page.
I expected several PDFs, but only one arrived.
With “Separately” the browser downloads the files one after another. Some browsers ask the first time whether the site may download multiple files. Allow it, or choose “ZIP” to get a single file.
I can’t find the files on my iPhone. Where are they?
Safari saves downloads in the Files app, in the “Downloads” folder. Tap a ZIP file there once to open it, and the individual PDFs appear in a folder next to it.
The parts together are larger than the original.
That’s normal. Fonts and images shared by several pages are stored only once in the original. After splitting, each part needs its own copy of them.
Is my file uploaded?
No. Splitting runs entirely in your browser, on your own device. Your PDF is never sent to a server, never stored and never seen by us. Close the tab and it is gone from memory.
You can check this yourself: open your browser's developer tools (F12), switch to the “Network” tab and start splitting. Your PDF does not show up as an upload. What you may see are page resources and, if you agreed to them, ads or statistics.
FAQ
Is splitting a PDF free on Filemanta?
Yes, completely. There is no limit on pages or parts, no watermark, no subscription and no account. Split as often as you like.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is read and split in your browser, on your own device. It is never sent to a server. That matters for contracts, bank statements or medical letters.
How do I split a PDF into multiple files?
Choose “Ranges” and type which pages belong together, for example “1-3, 4-10”. Each range becomes its own PDF. With “Every page” you get one file per page.
How do I separate PDF pages into individual files?
Choose “Every page” and tap “Split PDF”. Each page becomes its own PDF, named after your file with the page number, such as “contract-page-3.pdf”.
Can I save only certain pages of a PDF?
Yes. Under “Ranges”, enter only the pages you need, such as “4-6”. You get exactly those pages as a separate PDF, and the rest is left out.
Is the quality preserved?
Yes. Pages are taken over unchanged; nothing is recompressed or turned into images. Text stays selectable and searchable.
Can I split a PDF on my phone?
Yes, on iPhone and Android in the browser, without an app. Pick the PDF from Files or your Downloads folder, choose how to split it and download the parts.
How do I split a PDF on a Mac without extra software?
Open the PDF in Preview, show the thumbnails via “View” and drag the pages you want from the sidebar onto the desktop. Each dragged selection becomes its own PDF. Filemanta does it in one go and works the same on Windows PCs.
What are the finished files called?
They keep the name of your PDF: “contract-page-1.pdf” with “Every page”, “contract-part-1.pdf” with “Ranges”. As a ZIP, the file is called “contract-pdf.zip”.