Delete or extract pages from a PDF
Published · Updated 2 min read
Delete, extract and split give similar files, and it is easy to get lost. The right action depends on what you want to keep: few pages to remove, few pages to keep, or the whole document in several pieces.
Three actions on the same document
Take a ten-page report weighing 7.9 MB, of which you want to keep the first three pages.
| Action | What you enter | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Extract pages | 1-3 | A 3-page PDF, 2.1 MB |
| Delete pages | 4-10 | A 3-page PDF, 2.1 MB |
| Split a PDF | 1-3,4-10 | Two PDFs of 2.1 MB and 5.9 MB, in a ZIP archive |
Extract and delete give exactly the same file here. Split goes further: each range separated by a comma becomes its own file.
Choosing by what you keep
- To remove few pages, for example a blank page, use Delete pages.
- To keep few pages, for example three clauses of a contract, use Extract pages.
- To keep the whole document in several files, use Split a PDF. If you enter nothing, each page becomes a file.
Writing the pages
Separate the numbers with commas and indicate a range with a hyphen: 1,3-5,7 means pages 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7. If you ask for a page that does not exist, the tool says so clearly, for example "La page 99 n'existe pas : ce document compte 10 pages". Delete also refuses to remove all the pages, since nothing would be left.
The order of the pages
Extract respects the order you enter: with 3,1, the new PDF starts with page 3, then page 1. It is handy for reorganizing. Delete, on the other hand, always keeps the original order.
What the result keeps
The text stays real text that you can select, and links, such as a cover's, stay active. The original file is never modified, and the new PDF starts again at page 1.
When to use each action
Removing a blank page or a useless appendix: Delete. Sending only the important clauses of a contract: Extract. Cutting a document into chapters: Split.
Check before sending
- Count the pages of the result.
- Open the first and the last page.
- Look for references such as "see page 12": after a deletion, they no longer point to the right place.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you delete a page from a PDF for free?
- With Delete pages, enter the number of the page to remove, for example 4, or a range such as 4-10. The original file is not modified.
- What is the difference between extracting and deleting?
- Extract keeps the pages you indicate, delete removes the pages you indicate. To keep pages 1 to 3, extracting 1-3 or deleting 4-10 gives the same file.
- Can you change the order of the pages while extracting?
- Yes. Extract respects the order entered: with 3,1, the new PDF starts with page 3.
- Are the links and the text kept?
- Yes, the text stays selectable and the links stay active.