Introduction
You have a 50-page PDF, but you only need pages 15-30. Or maybe there's a confidential page you need to remove before sharing. Or perhaps scanned documents have blank pages you want to delete. Removing unwanted PDF pages used to require expensive software like Adobe Acrobat, but not anymore. This guide shows you the easiest ways to extract specific pages, delete unwanted content, and split PDFs into exactly what you need—all using free tools that work directly in your browser with no installation, no uploads to servers, and complete privacy protection. (Want to combine PDFs instead? See our guide on merging PDF files.)
Why You Might Need to Remove PDF Pages
Common scenarios where page removal is essential.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Remove sensitive information before sharing:
• Bank statements with account numbers
• Contracts with confidential clauses
• Resumes with personal address/phone
• Medical records with private details
• Tax returns with SSN/financial data
Use case:
You need to share pages 1-5 of a contract, but page 6 contains salary information. Remove page 6 before sending.
File Size Reduction
Delete unnecessary pages to reduce size:
• Remove blank pages from scans
• Delete cover pages or appendices
• Extract only relevant sections
• Eliminate duplicate pages
Example:
100-page manual, but you only need chapter 3 (pages 25-40)
Original: 25MB
Extracted: 4MB (email-friendly)
Document Reorganization
Split and recombine for better organization:
• Separate chapters into individual files
• Remove outdated sections
• Create custom document versions
• Extract specific forms or pages
Business use:
Multi-client proposal with custom pages for each. Remove irrelevant pages, create personalized versions.
How to Remove Pages Using Our Free PDF Splitter
The fastest, easiest method with complete privacy.
Method 1: Extract Specific Pages
1. Visit our Free PDF Splitter
2. Upload your PDF file
3. Select pages to keep (enter page numbers or range)
• Single pages: "5, 10, 15"
• Ranges: "1-10, 15-20"
• Mixed: "1, 3-7, 10-15, 20"
4. Click "Extract Pages"
5. Download new PDF with only selected pages
What this does:
Creates new PDF containing only pages you specified. Original file unchanged (unless you overwrite it).
Privacy guarantee:
Everything processes in your browser—your PDF never uploads to any server.
Method 2: Delete Specific Pages
1. Upload PDF to PDF Splitter
2. Select pages to remove (what you want gone)
3. Tool creates new PDF without those pages
4. Download result
Example:
30-page PDF, remove pages 5, 12, and 18-20
Result: 25-page PDF (pages 5, 12, 18, 19, 20 deleted)
Method 3: Split into Multiple Files
Create separate PDFs from ranges:
1. Upload PDF
2. Define split points:
• "Split every N pages" (e.g., every 10 pages)
• "Split at specific pages" (e.g., split after pages 5, 15, 25)
• "Extract each page separately" (1 file per page)
3. Download ZIP with all files
Use case:
60-page meeting agenda → split into 6 separate 10-page PDFs (one per department)
Alternative Methods (Desktop & Mobile)
Other ways to remove PDF pages if preferred.
Adobe Acrobat Pro (Paid - $20/month)
Full featured but expensive:
1. Open PDF in Acrobat
2. Tools → Organize Pages
3. Select pages to delete (click thumbnails)
4. Click Delete icon
5. File → Save
Pros:
• Visual page selection
• Batch operations
• Advanced features
Cons:
• Expensive subscription
• Overkill for simple page removal
• Requires installation
Preview on Mac (Free, Built-in)
Mac users have this built-in:
1. Open PDF in Preview
2. View → Thumbnails (see all pages)
3. Select pages to delete (Cmd+Click for multiple)
4. Press Delete key
5. File → Save
Limitations:
• Mac only
• Can be slow with large PDFs
• No advanced features
Windows 10/11 Built-in (Print to PDF)
Workaround using virtual printer:
1. Open PDF in Edge or Acrobat Reader
2. File → Print
3. Select "Microsoft Print to PDF"
4. Choose "Custom" pages
5. Enter pages to keep (e.g., "1-10, 15-20")
6. Click Print → Save as new PDF
Note:
This re-renders the PDF (potential quality loss). Better to use dedicated tools.
Pro Tips for PDF Page Management
Work smarter with these techniques.
Rotate Before Removing
Fix orientation first:
If pages are rotated incorrectly, fix rotation before extraction:
1. Use our PDF Rotator first
2. Correct page orientations
3. Then remove unwanted pages
Prevents extracting upside-down or sideways pages.
Batch Processing Multiple PDFs
If you need to remove same pages from multiple files:
Option 1 - One at a time:
• Process each PDF individually
• Time-consuming but precise
Option 2 - Script/Automation:
• Use tools like PDFtk or Python (pypdf2)
• Automate: "Remove page 1 from all PDFs in folder"
• Advanced users only
Example script concept:
For each PDF in folder:
Remove page 1
Save as "[filename]_no_cover.pdf"
Keep Originals as Backup
Always preserve original files:
Workflow:
1. Copy original to backup folder
2. Process the copy
3. Verify result is correct
4. Only then delete original (if desired)
Naming convention:
• Original: "contract.pdf"
• Backup: "contract_ORIGINAL.pdf"
• Modified: "contract_pages_1-10.pdf"
Prevents permanent loss if you accidentally delete wrong pages.
Common Page Removal Scenarios
Solutions for specific situations.
Removing Blank Pages from Scans
Problem:
Scanned documents often include blank pages (back of single-sided originals).
Solution:
1. Open PDF and note which pages are blank
2. Use splitter to remove those specific pages
Prevention:
Configure scanner to "skip blank pages" if available.
Extracting Single Page from Large Document
Need just one page from 200-page PDF:
1. Use PDF Splitter
2. Enter single page number (e.g., "47")
3. Extract → get 1-page PDF
Alternative:
Print page 47 to PDF (File → Print → Pages: 47 → Print to PDF)
Both methods work; splitter is faster.
Creating Multiple Versions
Create different versions for different audiences:
Scenario: 20-page proposal
• Client version: Pages 1-15 (remove internal notes on 16-20)
• Internal version: All 20 pages
Workflow:
1. Keep original as "Proposal_FULL.pdf"
2. Extract pages 1-15 → save as "Proposal_CLIENT.pdf"
3. Now you have both versions
Key Takeaways
Removing pages from PDFs is a common task that shouldn't require expensive software or technical expertise. Whether you're redacting sensitive information, reducing file sizes, or extracting specific sections, modern browser-based tools like our free PDF Splitter make the process instant and secure. Everything processes locally in your browser—no uploads, no privacy concerns, no software installation. Simply select the pages you want, extract or delete, and download your result. For occasional page removal needs or daily document management, bookmark our PDF Splitter and never pay for PDF software again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1Will removing pages reduce PDF quality?
No, removing pages is a lossless operation. The remaining pages are copied exactly as they are—no recompression or quality loss. You're simply extracting original pages unchanged.
Q2Can I undo page removal?
Not from the modified file itself. This is why we recommend keeping the original PDF as backup. If you accidentally remove wrong pages, you'll need to start over from the original.
Q3What happens to bookmarks and links after removing pages?
Bookmarks to removed pages are deleted. Bookmarks to remaining pages are preserved. Internal page links may break if they referenced removed pages. External links remain intact.
Q4Can I remove password-protected PDF pages?
You must first remove password protection (requires knowing the password), then you can remove pages. PDF protection prevents any modifications including page removal.
Q5Is there a limit to how many pages I can remove?
No limit on our tool. You can remove any number of pages. Just remember you need at least 1 page remaining—can't create a 0-page PDF.
Q6Will removing pages reduce file size significantly?
Yes, proportionally. Removing 50% of pages reduces size by approximately 50%. However, shared resources (fonts, metadata) remain, so you might see slightly less than proportional reduction.