How to split a PDF into multiple files on your phone
To split a PDF on Android with PDFriend, tap More, then tap Split and pick the PDF. Select One file for each page, Same number of pages in each file or Custom page ranges, then tap the Save button. The app saves each part as a new PDF. To keep only some pages in one new PDF, open the PDF and tap Extract pages. The iPhone app has the same Split tool.
How do you split a PDF into many files on Android?
The Split tool cuts one PDF into many new PDF files on your phone. It has three ways to split:
| Way | The new files | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One file for each page | One PDF for each page | A 10 page PDF gives 10 files |
| Same number of pages in each file | Files with the number of pages that you set | 2 pages in each file: a 10 page PDF gives 5 files |
| Custom page ranges | One file for each range that you type | "1-3, 4-6" gives 2 files |
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Open Split
Open PDFriend. Tap More on the home screen, then tap Split and pick the PDF. If the PDF is open in the viewer, tap the More menu, then tap Split PDF.
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Type the password if necessary
If the PDF has a password, type it one time. Each new file gets the same password.
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Choose how to split
Select One file for each page, Same number of pages in each file, or Custom page ranges.
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Set the pages
For Same number of pages in each file, set the Pages in each file. For Custom page ranges, type the ranges in the Page ranges field, for example 1-3, 4-6. Each range makes one file.
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Check the list and save
The screen lists the new files before the save. Tap the Save button, for example Save 2 files. The original file does not change.
The new files get names such as "Report (page 1).pdf" and "Report (pages 4-6).pdf". They go to the app folder and show in the file list. A PDF with one page cannot be split. The app then shows "This PDF has one page. A split needs two pages or more."
Note: each new file holds only its own pages. Bookmarks and links to pages in another file stop working.
How do you keep only some pages of a PDF?
To make one new PDF with only some pages, use the Extract pages command in the PDF viewer. You type the pages to keep. The app copies them into a new PDF on your phone and does not change the original file.
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Open the PDF
Open PDFriend and tap the PDF in the file list. If the PDF is in another place, add it with the Import PDF tool first.
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Open Extract pages
In the PDF viewer, tap the More menu (three dots), then tap Extract pages.
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Type the pages to keep
In the Pages field, type the page numbers, for example 1-3, 5. Use a hyphen for a range and a comma between the parts.
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Tap Extract
Tap Extract. The app saves the pages as a new PDF with the page numbers in the name, for example "Contract (pages 1-3, 5).pdf".
The new PDF goes to Documents/ImageToPDF on Android and shows in the file list. If a file with the same name exists, the app adds a number, for example "(1)", to the new name.
Note: a PDF with a password opens after you type the password. You can then extract pages from it. The new PDF has no password. To protect it, use the Lock tool. Read how to put a password on a PDF.
How do you type the page range?
The Extract pages dialog tells you the page count, for example "The PDF has 12 pages." Type the pages with numbers, hyphens and commas.
| You type | The new PDF has |
|---|---|
| 3 | Page 3 |
| 1-3 | Pages 1, 2 and 3 |
| 1-3, 5 | Pages 1, 2, 3 and 5 |
| 2, 4, 6 | Pages 2, 4 and 6 |
| 5, 1-3 | Page 5, then pages 1, 2 and 3 |
| 8-12 | Pages 8 to 12 (for a 12 page PDF) |
The new PDF keeps the order that you type. A page that you type two times goes in the PDF one time. Spaces are not important: "1-3,5" and "1-3, 5" give the same result.
In Extract pages, all the pages go into one file. In the Custom page ranges of Split, each range makes one file: "1-3, 5" gives 2 files.
If the text has an error, the app shows "The page range is not valid. Use numbers from 1 to 12." (with the page count of your PDF). These texts cause the error:
- A page number larger than the page count, for example 15 in a 12 page PDF.
- The number 0.
- A range that goes backwards, for example 5-3. Type 3-5.
- A letter or a word, for example "page 2" or "all".
Can you save the pages as images instead?
Yes. In the PDF viewer, tap the More menu, then tap Export pages as images. The app saves every page as a separate JPG image in Pictures/ImageToPDF. This command exports all the pages. To learn more, read how to convert a PDF to JPG images.
How do you split a PDF on iPhone?
PDFriend is also an iPhone app (iOS 26 and later). Tap More, then tap Split and pick the PDF. The same 3 ways are there: One file for each page, Same number of pages in each file and Custom page ranges. To keep only some pages, open the PDF and tap Extract pages. The PDF goes to the folder of the app. In the Files app, open On My iPhone > PDFriend.
Questions and answers
How do I split one PDF into several files on Android?
In PDFriend, tap More, then tap Split and pick the PDF. Select One file for each page, Same number of pages in each file, or Custom page ranges. Then tap the Save button. Each part becomes a new PDF.
How do I extract pages from a PDF on Android?
In PDFriend, open the PDF, tap the More menu, then tap Extract pages. Type the pages to keep, for example 1-3, 5, then tap Extract. The app saves them as one new PDF.
Does splitting a PDF change the original file?
No. Split and Extract pages copy the pages into new PDF files. The original PDF keeps all its pages.
Can I split a PDF that has a password?
Yes. Split asks for the password one time, and each new file gets the same password. Extract pages works after you open the PDF with its password. The new PDF from Extract pages has no password.
Why does the app say that the page range is not valid?
In Extract pages, the app shows this message when a number is 0 or larger than the page count, when a range goes backwards such as 5-3, or when the text has a letter. Use only numbers from 1 to the last page, hyphens and commas.
Can I save each page as a separate image instead?
Yes. In the PDF viewer, tap the More menu, then tap Export pages as images. The app saves each page as a JPG image in Pictures/ImageToPDF.