Drop a PDF here or click to upload
Split a PDF into files under a size limit
Or drop files anywhere on this page. Files are processed in your browser and never uploaded.
How to split a PDF by file size
Split a large PDF into smaller files that each stay under a size you set, for email attachments and upload forms. Pages are never cut in the middle.
Add your PDF
Drag the PDF onto the upload box, click to choose it, or import it from Google Drive. A password-protected file asks for its password and is unlocked in your browser.
Set the maximum size per file
Next to "Max size per file", click a preset (1, 5, 10 or 25 MB), or type a number and choose KB or MB. The list below shows each part with its page range and actual size.
Split and download
Click the Split into button in the header. The results screen lets you preview each part, download them all as a ZIP, save to Google Drive, open a part in another tool, or delete the files.
Pages bigger than the limit
Splitting can't make a single page smaller. A page that is already over the limit gets its own file and is marked in orange. Compress that file afterwards if it needs to be smaller.
Bookmarks in each part
If the PDF has bookmarks, a "Keep bookmarks" checkbox appears. When ticked, each part keeps the bookmarks that point to its own pages.
Keep working with the parts
The results screen links to related tools and passes the selected part to them. For example, compress a part that is still too large.
Getting useful parts out of a size split
Why the last part is usually the small one
The parts are filled in page order. The first part takes as many pages as it can without going over the limit, the second starts on the next page and does the same, and whatever is left becomes the last part. So a 23 MB file split at 10 MB tends to give two parts just under 10 MB and a third of around 3 MB.
That's fine for an upload form. It looks odd in an email thread, and it can matter when a portal wants parts of similar size. To even things out, pick the number of parts you want and divide the total by it, then add a little headroom. For three parts of that 23 MB file, try 8.5 MB rather than 7.7 MB. Each part needs its own copy of the fonts and images it uses, so the parts usually add up to a bit more than the original.
Each part is a complete PDF
Every part opens on its own, with no need for the others. The pages inside are copied unchanged: same text, images, comments and web links, at the same quality. With "Keep bookmarks" ticked, each part also gets the bookmarks for its pages.
Some things belong to the document rather than to its pages, and those stay behind:
- The title and author in the document properties. Add them back with Edit metadata if the recipient's software lists files by title.
- Fillable form fields. They remain visible but usually can't be typed into. If the PDF is a form, fill it in first, or make the entries permanent with Flatten PDF.
- Links that jump to a page in a different part, like a contents page pointing to page 140.
Sending parts so they arrive in order
Parts are named with a part number and their page range, such as report-part2-pages-48-91.pdf. The part number isn't padded with a zero, so once you get past nine parts a plain alphabetical sort puts part10 before part2. Windows File Explorer, macOS Finder and the "Sort" button in Merge PDF sort by number and get it right, but some upload forms and email apps don't. With ten or more parts, check the order before you attach them, and say "part 3 of 12" in each message if you're sending them separately.
The person at the other end can join everything back into one file with Merge PDF. The page ranges in the names make it easy to spot a missing part.
Big files and phones
To find each split point, the tool builds real trial files in memory and measures them. That's why the sizes it shows are exact, and also why a very large PDF takes a while, especially on a phone. Every change to the limit starts the calculation again after a short pause, so settle on a number before you start trying alternatives. If your browser struggles, close other tabs, or work on a computer. If most of the size comes from a few heavy pages, Compress PDF beforehand can cut the number of parts and the waiting time.
Features
- Splits a large PDF into smaller files that each stay under a size limit you set.
- The PDF is processed in your browser. It is not uploaded to a server.
- Useful for email attachment limits and upload forms that cap the file size.
- Pages are never cut. Each file holds as many whole pages as fit under the limit.
- Free. No software to install and no account required.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a file size limit?
There is no fixed limit on the original PDF, because it is processed in your browser rather than on a server.
Does it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. It works in current browsers on phones and tablets.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. The PDF is split on your device, in the browser, and is never sent to a server.
