How to split a PDF into single pages

How to split a PDF into single pages with Deckle

1. Open Split PDF and choose your PDF, or drop it onto the page.
2. Under How to split it, choose One file per page. The tool opens on Choose split points, so make sure the right mode is selected.
3. Read the Planned files list. Each row shows one source page and the name the file will have.
4. Compare the number of planned files with the page count shown next to the tool name. A 12-page PDF should plan 12 files.
5. Choose the action button, which carries the count, such as Create 12 PDFs.
6. Choose Download all 12 as a zip to save the set, or select one file and choose Download selected PDF.

The result screen says how many PDFs were made and from how many pages, so a 12-page source should read "12 PDFs made from 12 pages".

How the files are named

Each file takes the source name and a number in brackets. A source called invoices.pdf gives invoices (1).pdf, invoices (2).pdf and so on, with the number matching the page's position in the original. Page 7 of the source becomes invoices (7).pdf.

The numbers are positions in the file, not the numbers printed on the pages. If the PDF starts with a cover, invoices (1).pdf is the cover. Rename the files after download if the recipient needs names such as invoice-1043.pdf.

What the ZIP contains

The ZIP is a folder of separate PDFs. It does not merge them back together and it does not turn the pages into pictures. Each file is a real one-page PDF, so text stays selectable and web links on the page still work.

If you need images rather than PDFs, for example to post a page online or put it in a slide, use PDF to JPG or PDF to PNG instead. Those tools give you one image per page.

Large documents

The planned list shows the first eight files. Choose Show next to see more; this only changes what is visible, not what will be created.

Splitting a long document into single pages creates a lot of files. When the plan reaches 50 or more, Deckle shows a Many separate PDFs notice: the run takes longer and the ZIP can be large. That is expected for a 200-page scan, and it is worth asking whether you really need every page separately. Often you need a handful of pages, and extracting just those pages is quicker.

Choose the right split

Single pages are one of four modes. If they are not what you need, pick another before you create the files:

How to split a PDF every few pages covers double-sided forms and other fixed-length documents, and how to split a PDF by page range covers sections.

Tips

• Remove blank pages first. A scanned batch often has empty backs. Delete them in Organize PDF pages before you split, or you will get a file for each blank page. See how to delete pages from a PDF.
• Fix rotation before splitting. Turning one page in the source is quicker than finding its file in a folder of 40. Rotate PDF does this in one pass.
• Check a sample. Open the first, the last and one file from the middle. If those are right, the numbering is right.
• Keep the original. The single pages are copies; the full PDF is still the easiest way to send the whole document again.

Other ways to save each page as a PDF

• Preview on a Mac. You can drag a single thumbnail from the sidebar to the desktop to make a one-page PDF. It works for a few pages but is slow for a long document.
• Adobe Acrobat. In the paid desktop app, choose All tools > Organize pages, select every page, choose Extract pages and tick Extract pages as separate files. Adobe describes the free Acrobat Reader as a viewer and lists editing and organising PDFs under its paid plans.
• Print to PDF one page at a time. It works anywhere, but each page is a separate print job and links or form fields may be lost.

Frequently asked questions

Can I split only some pages into single files?

Yes. Choose Page ranges I choose and add one range per page, entering the same number in From page and To page. Pages without a range are left out.

Does splitting into single pages reduce quality?

No. Each page is copied into its own PDF as it is, without re-compressing images or converting text.

Why is the button disabled?

Deckle is still reading the PDF, or the file could not be read. The message beside the button says which, and it changes to the create action once the page count is known.

Can I split a password-protected PDF into pages?

Create an unlocked copy with Unlock PDF first, using the password you were given, then split that copy.

Related tools

• Split PDF to split into single pages, chunks or ranges
• PDF to JPG to save each page as an image instead
• Merge PDFs to put selected pages back together