Split PDF

Split PDF

Split PDF is a REST API tool that separates a single PDF file into any number of separate PDF files, each with specified pages.

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Why is pdfRest the best API to split PDF?
pdfRest offers the best solution for splitting a PDF input into multiple PDF outputs, because it supports flexible page ranges, optimized content, and deleting or exporting pages.

Page Range Power

Easily split a 100-page PDF into 100 one-page PDFs, or pick and choose each output PDF you’d like to create from the original PDF source. Maybe you need pages 1-10 in a file, pages 2,5,15-20 in another file, all the even page numbers in a third file, and pages 25-50 in reverse order in a fourth file. No problem - every possible permutation of pages can be saved out to any number of target output files with one single API Call.

Optimized Content

When pages are split out from PDFs with many PDF tools in the wild, some of the “removed” content can actually be left behind in the file. This might not appear to users when viewing the document, but a rogue embedded font can easily linger around without serving a purpose for the pages that remain in the new, smaller file.

pdfRest to the rescue! Every split-out PDF created by the Split PDF tool is optimized to contain only the relevant content for the pages in that file. Smaller file sizes, faster user experience.

Export or Delete Pages

pdfRest’s Split PDF tool can be used to save many output files, but it also can be used to simply save one output PDF with just the page or pages you need. This allows you to isolate just the content you need in a streamlined document.

Export all the pages you need into your one output file, or select all pages other than the ones you’d like to delete. The Split PDF tool serves many functions.

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Start from Code Examples
See more code examples in our GitHub repository

Need more help?

Start with a Tutorial for step-by-step guidance

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Customize Your Solution

Learn about the parameters for this tool to create your custom solution.

Pages

The pages[] parameter allows you to identify pages and/or page ranges that you would like to split into one or more new PDFs. This is a versatile parameter that allows you to precisely construct your output document(s) by specifying the exact pages, page order, and number of documents that you want.

Each instance of pages[] creates one new output PDF containing the specified pages. For example, the values “3”, “4-10”, and “2,3,4” will create three new PDFs, each containing the pages that were specified for that particular document.

If a page number is included more than once (e.g., “1,2,3,3,4,5”), then the page will be duplicated in the output file. Pages may also be reordered (e.g., “1,5,3,2,4”), and page ranges may be reversed by listing the higher page number first (e.g., “2,4,9-5,12”).

pages[] also accepts a few keywords to quickly identify pages to split. The keywords “even” and “odd” will select only those pages to split into a new PDF, and the keyword “last” may be used to represent the final page of the input PDF.

One trick using pages[] is to effectively delete one or more pages from a document. For example, the value “1-5,7-last” will create a new document without page 6.

(If pages[] is omitted entirely, the default behavior is to split the input PDF into one document for each page.)

See Documentation

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Frequently Asked Questions
Need more help? Contact Us or visit our documentation.

The Split PDF API is a REST API tool that separates a single PDF document into multiple new PDF files, each containing a specified set of pages. This is perfect for breaking down large documents into smaller, more manageable files for easier distribution, archiving, or processing.

If you don't specify the pages[] parameter, the API will automatically split the entire input PDF into separate single-page documents. For example, a 10-page PDF will be split into 10 individual, one-page PDFs.

Yes, you can. By including the pages[] parameter multiple times in a single API call, you can create any number of new output PDFs at once. Each instance of the parameter defines a separate output file with the pages you specify for it.

When you split a PDF into multiple files, the API appends a sequential number to each new file's name. For example, if you set the output parameter to report-part, the output files will be named report-part-01.pdf, report-part-02.pdf, and so on, providing a clear and organized file structure.

The pages[] parameter is the core of this tool's power. It allows you to precisely define which pages go into which new PDF. You can use it to specify individual pages (1, 5, 8), page ranges (1-10), keywords like even or odd, and even reverse a page range (10-1) to change the order.

Yes, the Split PDF tool is often used to both extract and delete pages. To extract a single section, you can simply specify the desired pages to create a single output file with only that content. To delete pages, you can specify all pages except the ones you want to remove. For example, using the range 1-5,7-last will effectively delete page 6.

Yes, you have full control over the page order and can even duplicate pages. By listing page numbers or ranges in a specific order, you can reorder the pages in your new document. If you list a page number more than once, that page will be duplicated in the output file, which is useful for creating repeated content like a cover page or disclaimer.

This tool is perfect for tasks like:

  • Archiving: Breaking down large annual reports into individual monthly or quarterly files.
  • Legal: Isolating specific contract sections for review or distribution.
  • Publishing: Separating a single book PDF into individual chapters.
  • Data Management: Extracting key pages from a document for a separate workflow.

pdfRest offers a superior solution because it provides flexible page ranges to handle every possible page permutation in a single call, it optimizes content to ensure new files are as small as possible by removing unused data, and it serves multiple functions by allowing you to both export or delete pages with a single, versatile tool.

Ensuring the security and privacy of your data is a top priority at pdfRest. Our platform is built for robust, enterprise-grade security and compliance, including GDPR and HIPAA. All your files are secured with encryption during both transit and at-rest, and they are permanently deleted after the stated file retention period (30 minutes for most plans). For complete details, please refer to our Data Processing Agreement (DPA).

To facilitate GDPR compliance for your splitting workflows, pdfRest processes your data within the European Union and adheres to other strict data protection requirements. You can ensure all processing occurs within the EU by sending your API calls to the dedicated EU endpoint at http://eu-api.pdfrest.com/split-pdf. Please note that a GDPR usage fee may apply for some plans. For more information, please review our Data Processing Agreement.

Integrating the Split PDF API is straightforward. We offer comprehensive API documentation and code samples in many programming languages. The API Lab also allows you to test and generate code snippets directly from your browser, simplifying the setup and ensuring a smooth integration experience.

Yes, you can split PDFs without writing any code. Our API Lab is an online tool that allows you to upload files and send API calls directly from your browser. For a more conversational workflow, you can also split PDFs without code using pdfAssistant.ai, an AI assistant that can split your PDFs and handle other document tasks with a simple chat interface.

Yes, pdfRest offers two self-hosted options. The pdfRest API Toolkit on AWS allows you to deploy and manage your own backend processing infrastructure within your AWS environment with pay-as-you-go pricing through the AWS Marketplace. The pdfRest API Toolkit Container provides ultimate environmental control as a Docker Container, giving you the flexibility to run the API in on-premises data centers or public/private cloud environments with a flexible, custom licensing model.

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