How to Split a PDF into Separate Files on Mac
In Preview you can split a PDF by dragging page thumbnails to the desktop or by printing a page range to a new PDF, one part at a time. File Acture's Split PDF splits the whole file in one run: every page, every few pages, or custom ranges such as 1-3, 5, 8-.
Updated September 23, 20265 min readTested with File Acture 1.0.9 on macOS 26
By the File Acture team
A 60-page scan that should be three separate contracts, a textbook chapter you want on its own, a statement where only page 4 matters: splitting a PDF is a small job that Preview makes tedious. Here's the built-in way on a Mac and a faster one.
When do you need to split a PDF?
You split a PDF when parts of it belong in different places: separate uploads, separate recipients or separate folders.
Typical cases are a batch scan that holds several documents, a long report where each chapter goes to a different team, and an upload form that caps each file at a few megabytes. Sending one page is also kinder than sending sixty when that page is all someone needs.
How to split a PDF in Preview
Preview pulls pages out of a PDF one set at a time. Choose View > Thumbnails, select the pages you want with Command-click, and drag them to the desktop; Preview creates a new PDF with just those pages.
You can also choose File > Print, enter a page range and pick Save as PDF from the PDF menu, or delete the pages you don't need from a copy made with File > Duplicate. All three work well for one part. For ten parts you repeat the whole thing ten times, name each file by hand and keep track of the pages you've already saved.
How to split a PDF with File Acture
File Acture's Split PDF cuts a PDF into as many files as you need in one run, using one of three modes under Split.
- Every page: one PDF per page.
- Every few pages: fixed chunks of 2 to 500 pages per file; the last part holds whatever is left.
- Custom ranges: type ranges such as 1-3, 5, 8- in Ranges. Each range becomes a separate PDF, 8- means page 8 to the end, and ranges may overlap.
Where do the split files go?
The parts land in a new folder named after your PDF with “(split)” at the end, in Downloads › File Acture or the folder you choose. Single pages are named like “Report - page 3.pdf” and ranges like “Report - pages 1-3.pdf”, so they sort in order. Add several PDFs and each one gets its own folder.
Is anything lost when you split a PDF?
The pages are copied as they are, so text, images and fonts don't change and nothing is re-encoded. Each part keeps the document information of the original, and the original file itself stays unchanged. Everything happens on your Mac, so nothing is uploaded.
How to split a scanned batch into separate documents
When one scan holds several documents, give each document its own range and split them all in one run.
Flip through the file first and note where each document starts, for example pages 1-3 for a contract, 4-9 for a report and 10-12 for invoices. Type 1-3, 4-9, 10-12 in Ranges, and File Acture writes three PDFs named after their pages. Rename them in Finder afterwards if you want names that say what's inside.
How to split a PDF to fit an upload limit
To get under a per-file limit, split the PDF into chunks and compress any chunk that is still too big.
Divide the file size by the limit to see roughly how many parts you need, then use Every few pages with a page count that gives that many parts. A 60-page, 30 MB scan with a 10 MB limit needs at least three parts, so 20 pages per file is a sensible start. Pages differ in size, so if one part still comes out too large, compress it to a target size.
Tips for splitting PDFs on a Mac
Split cleanly by counting pages by their position in the file, fixing sideways pages and unlocking protected PDFs first.
- Extract one page: use Custom ranges with just that page number, such as 5.
- Page numbers are positions: 1 is the first page of the file, whatever number is printed on it.
- Bookmarks: a bookmark that points to a page outside a part stops working in that part.
- Sideways pages: fix them with Rotate Pages before or after splitting.
- Putting parts back together: merge them in any order you like.
- Locked PDFs: a PDF that needs a password to open must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF.
- Batches: the free version splits up to 5 PDFs per run, with 3 runs on each Mac; see pricing for Pro.
How to split a PDF with File Acture
- 1
Add the PDF
Choose Split PDF in the sidebar and drag in your PDF, or click Choose Files….
- 2
Pick a mode
Under Split, choose Every page, Every few pages or Custom ranges.
- 3
Set the pages
For chunks, set the number of pages per file. For ranges, type them in Ranges, such as 1-3, 5, 8-.
- 4
Pick a folder
Under Output, choose where the parts go with Save to.
- 5
Split
Click Split. The parts appear in a new folder named after the PDF.
Split PDFs into pages or ranges in one run.
Free to try · macOS 14 or later
| Method | Parts per run | How you choose pages |
|---|---|---|
| Preview, drag thumbnails out | One | Select thumbnails by hand |
| Preview, Print > Save as PDF | One | One from–to range |
| File Acture Split PDF | As many as you need | Every page, every N pages or ranges like 1-3, 5, 8- |
Questions
How do I split a PDF into separate pages on a Mac?
In File Acture, choose Split PDF, pick Every page and click Split. In Preview, you'd drag each page thumbnail to the desktop one at a time.
How do I extract pages from a PDF on a Mac?
Drag the page thumbnails from Preview's sidebar to the desktop, or use File Acture's Custom ranges with the pages you want, such as 2-4.
Does splitting a PDF reduce quality?
No. The pages are copied as they are, so text and images stay exactly the same.
Can I split a password-protected PDF?
If it needs a password to open, unlock it first with Unlock PDF. PDFs that only restrict printing or copying can be split directly, and each part keeps those restrictions.
Can I split a PDF by file size?
Not directly. Split it into chunks or ranges, then give any part that is still too large a target size with Compress PDF.