How to split a PDF or pull out a few pages
Splitting a PDF usually means one of two things: saving a few pages as their own file, or breaking a big scan into separate documents. You don't need special software for either. The print dialog in any modern browser can save a page range as a new PDF, and a Mac can do it by dragging. Here's how, plus one case where splitting is the wrong move.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
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Any computer: save a page range from the browser
Chrome and Microsoft Edge both open PDFs and both can print to a new PDF. This works the same on Windows, Mac and Chromebook.
- 1
Open the PDF in the browser
Drag the PDF into a Chrome or Edge window, or right-click it and open it with the browser.
- 2
Open the print dialog
Press Ctrl+P on Windows or Command+P on a Mac, or click the printer icon in the PDF toolbar.
- 3
Choose PDF as the printer
Set the destination or printer to Save as PDF. On Windows you can also pick Microsoft Print to PDF.
- 4
Enter the pages you want
Under Pages, choose a custom range and type it, such as 3-5 for pages three to five, or 1,4,7 for separate pages.
- 5
Save the new file
Click Save, name the file and pick a folder. Repeat with another range for each piece you need.
What printing leaves behind
A PDF saved through the print dialog is a fresh copy of how the pages look. Fillable boxes become flat text, and links and bookmarks may not survive. For a form someone still needs to fill in, use Preview or a PDF editor instead.
On a Mac: drag pages out of Preview
Open the PDF in Preview and choose View › Thumbnails. Select the pages you want, holding Command to pick several, and drag them out of the sidebar onto the desktop or into a Finder window. Preview saves them as a new PDF and leaves the original untouched. To remove pages from the original instead, select them in the sidebar and press Delete, after making a copy with File › Duplicate.
On an iPhone or iPad
Open the PDF from Files, tap the Share button, then Print. Choose the page range in the print options and use Share again to save the result to Files as a new PDF. The SignMaster app for iPhone and iPad also has a PDF editor that splits PDFs into separate files.
Don't split a contract to send only the signature page
It's tempting to send someone just the last page to sign. Don't: a signature on a page with no terms around it proves very little, and the signer can fairly say they never saw the rest. Send the whole document and let them sign where it says to. If some pages genuinely aren't part of the deal, such as an internal cover sheet, remove them before you send.
In SignMaster you can do that without splitting the file first. Upload the PDF to a new envelope, open the menu on the page you don't need in the Fields step and choose Delete page. You can also rotate or move pages from the same menu. Once it's signed, every page carries the envelope ID and its page number, so a loose page can always be traced back to the full signed document.
Questions? Answers.
How do I split a PDF for free?
Open it in Chrome or Edge, print it, choose Save as PDF and type the page range you want. On a Mac, drag pages out of Preview's sidebar onto the desktop.
Can I split one PDF into single pages all at once?
Not with the print method; it saves one range at a time. Adobe Acrobat and many PDF editors have a split command that cuts a file into single pages or every few pages in one go.
Does splitting a PDF change the original?
Not with the print method or by dragging pages out of Preview; both make a new file. Deleting pages in Preview does change the file you have open, so duplicate it first.
Can I send just a few pages of a PDF for signature?
You can delete pages in SignMaster before sending, but only remove pages that aren't part of the agreement. A signer should see every page they're agreeing to.