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How to split a PDF on Windows

By DeckleUpdated

To split a PDF on Windows, open Split PDF in your browser, drag the PDF from File Explorer onto the page, choose how to split it and choose the Create button, which shows how many PDFs it will make. Each part is saved as a new PDF and the original is not changed. Windows can also save a range of pages as a new PDF by printing it to Microsoft Print to PDF; both methods are below.

Split PDF
Illustrated document pages containing a chart, photograph and text.
Illustration · a document can contain more than its visible pages.

How to split a PDF on Windows with Deckle

  1. Open Split PDF in Microsoft Edge, Chrome or Firefox.
  2. Drag the PDF onto the page, or choose Select a file.
  3. Under How to split it, choose Choose split points, One file per page, Fixed-size chunks or Page ranges I choose.
  4. Set the split: click the scissors between pages, enter Pages per file, or type a From page and To page for each file. Choose Add range for more files.
  5. Check the Planned files list. If your plan skips any pages, a note under the options says which pages are left out.
  6. Choose the button, such as Create 3 PDFs.
  7. Download the files one at a time, or all of them as a ZIP. Windows opens ZIP files in File Explorer.

The result screen states how many PDFs were made from how many pages, so a missing range is easy to spot.

Choose a split mode

You want Mode Example
To cut where you see a new section start Choose split points Split a contract from its schedules
Every page in its own file One file per page 20 scanned receipts, 20 PDFs
Equal parts Fixed-size chunks Every 10 pages of a 95-page log; the last file has 5
Specific pages Page ranges I choose Pages 4–9 only

Ranges include both ends. Pages outside every range are left out of the outputs, and ranges can overlap if a page belongs in two files. See how to split a PDF by page range.

Save a page range with Microsoft Print to PDF

Windows 10 and Windows 11 include a virtual printer called Microsoft Print to PDF, which Microsoft mentions in Save an Outlook message as a .eml file, a PDF file, or as a draft. Combined with the page settings described in Print in Microsoft Edge, it can save part of a PDF as a new file:

  1. Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge and press Ctrl+P.
  2. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer.
  3. Under Pages, choose Custom and enter the range, such as 1-5.
  4. Choose Print, then name the file in the Save Print Output As box and choose Save.

This makes one file per print, so splitting a document into many parts means repeating the steps. Split PDF copies pages as they are and makes every part in one run.

Tips

  • Use page positions, not printed numbers. If the PDF starts with a cover and contents pages, printed page 1 might be page 4 of the file.
  • Preview a planned file. The eye button in Planned files shows its pages before anything is created.
  • Download a ZIP for many parts. A ZIP holds up to 2,048 files.
  • Rename the parts. Files are named after the source with a number, such as report (2).pdf; inside a ZIP the names also start with a position and an ID. Rename them in File Explorer after downloading.

Frequently asked questions

How do I split a PDF on Windows without Adobe?

Use Split PDF in your browser, or print the pages you want to Microsoft Print to PDF from Edge.

How do I save one page of a PDF on Windows?

In Split PDF, choose Page ranges I choose and enter the same number in From page and To page. In Edge, print that page to Microsoft Print to PDF.

Does splitting reduce quality?

No. Each part is a copy of the source pages.

Can I split a password-protected PDF?

Make an unlocked copy with Unlock PDF using the password you have, then split it.

Can I split a PDF into equal parts?

Yes. Choose Fixed-size chunks and set Pages per file. A 95-page file split every 10 pages gives nine files of 10 pages and one of 5. Plans of 50 files or more show a warning because they take longer.

Related tools

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