Want to learn how to split PDF on Mac without purchasing expensive software? You can divide PDF documents into smaller files, extract individual pages, or separate a large document into multiple PDFs using Apple's built-in Preview app, free online tools, Adobe Acrobat, PDFsam Basic, or Terminal.
Whether you're organizing business reports, university assignments, invoices, contracts, or scanned documents, splitting a PDF makes it easier to manage and share only the pages you need.
For example, you may want to divide a 30-page report into three documents, save pages 5–10 as a separate PDF, or create individual files from each page of a scanned document.
In this guide, we'll explain five practical methods to split PDFs on macOS, including free online and offline options, step-by-step instructions, and solutions to common problems.
If you want to split your document immediately, use the OneFileKit Split PDF tool.
Quick Answer: How to Split PDF on Mac for Free
The easiest built-in method for extracting selected PDF pages on Mac is Apple Preview.
Open your PDF in Preview.
Select View → Thumbnails.
Select the pages you want to separate.
Drag the selected thumbnails to your desktop or a Finder folder.
Rename the newly created PDF.
Open the result to verify its pages.
For automatically dividing a PDF into multiple page ranges or creating one PDF per page, use the OneFileKit online PDF splitter.
Why Split PDF Files on Mac?
Splitting a PDF allows you to separate selected content without recreating the original document.
1. Organize Large Reports
Divide long business reports into smaller sections for easier navigation and sharing.
2. Extract Important Pages
Save only the pages needed from a larger document.
3. Separate Invoices
Turn a multi-page invoice collection into individual PDF files.
4. Prepare University Assignments
Separate chapters, references, or supporting documents.
5. Manage Scanned Documents
Split scanned forms, certificates, or records into separate PDFs.
6. Share Smaller Attachments
Create smaller individual documents for email or upload systems.
However, splitting does not necessarily compress PDF content. If you want to reduce file size while keeping every page, use OneFileKit Compress PDF.
Method 1: How to Split PDF on Mac Using Preview
Apple Preview is a built-in macOS application for viewing, organizing, and working with PDF documents.
It allows you to select pages and create new PDFs without installing additional software.
Step 1: Open the PDF in Preview
Locate your PDF document in Finder.
Double-click the document.
If another application opens, right-click the PDF and choose Open With → Preview.
Step 2: Show Page Thumbnails
In Preview, select:
View → Thumbnails
A sidebar will display the pages of your PDF.
Step 3: Select the Pages
Click the page thumbnails you want to extract.
To select multiple individual pages, hold the Command key while clicking.
To select a continuous range, use Shift-click where supported.
Step 4: Drag Pages Into Finder
Drag the selected thumbnails from Preview to the desktop or another Finder folder.
Preview creates a new PDF containing those selected pages.
Step 5: Rename the New PDF
Give the new document a descriptive filename, such as:
report-pages-1-to-5.pdf
Step 6: Verify the Result
Open the new PDF.
Check the page count, page order, text, and images.
Advantages of Preview
Included with macOS.
No additional software required.
Works offline.
Supports selected-page extraction.
Useful for rearranging and deleting pages.
Limitations
Preview is less convenient for automatically splitting a large PDF into dozens of separate documents.
For that workflow, a dedicated PDF splitter may be preferable.
Apple explains PDF page management in its official Preview documentation.
Method 2: Split PDF on Mac Online Using OneFileKit
OneFileKit provides a free browser-based PDF splitting tool.
The OneFileKit Split PDF tool works through compatible browsers such as Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
You don't need to install dedicated desktop software.
Step 1: Open OneFileKit
Launch Safari or another compatible browser.
Visit:
Step 2: Upload Your PDF
Select the PDF document from your Mac.
You can also drag and drop the file into the upload area where supported.
OneFileKit's Split PDF page advertises support for uploads up to 100 MB and documents containing up to 2,000 pages, subject to current limits.
Step 3: Choose a Splitting Mode
OneFileKit provides three main options.
Split by Page Range
Divide a PDF into separate files using ranges such as:
Pages 1–5
Pages 6–10
Pages 11–15
Extract Specific Pages
Select individual pages, such as 2, 5, and 9, and save them in a new PDF.
Split Every Page
Create a separate PDF file for every page.
Step 4: Configure the Pages
Enter the required page numbers or ranges.
For example, to divide a 20-page document into two files, select pages 1–10 and 11–20.
Step 5: Split the Document
Click Split PDF.
Wait for processing to finish.
Step 6: Download Your Files
Download the resulting PDFs.
When multiple documents are generated, the tool may provide a ZIP archive.
Step 7: Verify the Output
Open the resulting files and confirm that all required pages are present.
Why Use OneFileKit?
Free browser-based splitting.
No dedicated desktop installation.
Multiple splitting modes.
Page-range selection.
Individual-page extraction.
PDF and ZIP downloads where supported.
For additional document management, explore OneFileKit Organize PDF.
Method 3: How to Split PDF on Mac Using Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat provides advanced PDF splitting and page-management features in supported desktop versions.
You can divide PDFs by page count, file size, or top-level bookmarks.
Step 1: Open Adobe Acrobat
Launch Acrobat on your Mac.
Open the PDF document you want to split.
Step 2: Select Organize Pages
Choose:
All tools → Organize pages
Step 3: Choose Split
Click the Split option.
Step 4: Select a Splitting Method
Depending on your Acrobat version, choose:
Number of pages
File size
Top-level bookmarks
Step 5: Configure Output Options
Choose the destination folder and review available file-naming settings.
Step 6: Split the PDF
Click Split to process the document.
Step 7: Review the Results
Open the generated PDF files and verify their contents.
When Should You Use Acrobat?
Adobe Acrobat may be suitable when you need advanced splitting options, bookmark-based splitting, or professional document-management features.
Some functionality requires an eligible Acrobat subscription.
For detailed instructions, read Adobe Split PDF: How to Split Pages in Acrobat.
Adobe also provides an official PDF splitting guide.
Method 4: Split PDF Files on Mac Using PDFsam Basic
PDFsam Basic is a free, open-source PDF application available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
It provides advanced splitting options and works offline.
Step 1: Download PDFsam Basic
Visit the official PDFsam Basic website.
Download the compatible macOS version.
Step 2: Install the Application
Follow the installation instructions.
Step 3: Open PDFsam Basic
Launch the application.
Step 4: Select Split
Choose the Split module.
Step 5: Add Your PDF
Select the PDF document you want to divide.
Step 6: Choose a Splitting Method
PDFsam Basic supports several methods, including:
Split after specified pages.
Split every page.
Split every N pages.
Split by bookmarks.
Split by approximate file size.
Step 7: Configure the Output
Choose your splitting settings and destination folder.
Step 8: Run the Process
Click Run.
Step 9: Verify the PDFs
Open the resulting documents and check the pages.
Advantages of PDFsam Basic
Free and open source.
Supports macOS.
Works offline.
Advanced splitting options.
Useful for large documents.
Supports bookmark-based splitting.
Limitations
You need to install software, and the interface may require more setup than a simple online tool.
PDFsam Basic is useful for Mac users who frequently split documents or need more advanced options than Preview provides.
Method 5: How to Split PDF on Mac Using Terminal
Advanced Mac users can split PDF documents through Terminal using command-line tools.
One option is qpdf, an open-source PDF processing utility.
Step 1: Install qpdf
If Homebrew is installed, open Terminal and run:
brew install qpdf
Step 2: Navigate to Your PDF Folder
For example:
cd ~/Documents/PDFs
Step 3: Split Pages 1–5
Run:
qpdf input.pdf --pages . 1-5 -- part-1.pdf
This creates a PDF containing pages 1–5.
Step 4: Split Pages 6–10
Run:
qpdf input.pdf --pages . 6-10 -- part-2.pdf
Step 5: Split Every Page
To create one PDF per page:
qpdf --split-pages input.pdf output.pdf
qpdf generates numbered output files.
Step 6: Split Every Five Pages
qpdf --split-pages=5 input.pdf output.pdf
This creates documents containing groups of five pages, except possibly the last group.
Step 7: Verify the Results
Open the generated files in Preview.
Check that the pages appear in the correct order.
Advantages of Terminal
Suitable for automation.
Works offline after installation.
Supports page ranges.
Useful for developers.
Can process multiple documents through scripts.
Limitations
Terminal requires technical knowledge and appropriate software installation.
For full command documentation, visit the official qpdf documentation.
Five Ways to Split PDF on Mac Compared
Method | Free option | Installation | Offline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apple Preview | Yes | Built-in | Yes | Extracting selected pages |
OneFileKit | Yes | No | No | Quick online splitting |
Adobe Acrobat | Depends on plan | Yes | Yes | Advanced PDF management |
PDFsam Basic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced free splitting |
qpdf | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automation and developers |
Which Method Should You Choose?
Choose Preview for occasional page extraction.
Choose OneFileKit for browser-based splitting without installing software.
Choose Adobe Acrobat for advanced PDF splitting workflows.
Choose PDFsam Basic for free offline splitting with more options.
Choose qpdf for automation and command-line processing.
How to Split a PDF Into Two Files on Mac
Suppose you have a 20-page PDF.
You want to create:
Output document | Pages |
|---|---|
Part 1 | 1–10 |
Part 2 | 11–20 |
Steps Using OneFileKit
Open OneFileKit Split PDF.
Upload the document.
Choose Split by Page Range.
Enter the two page ranges using the supported syntax.
Start splitting.
Download both documents.
Verify their contents.
This is useful for reports, contracts, assignments, and business documents.
How to Split a PDF Into Individual Pages on Mac
Sometimes you want each page to become a separate PDF.
For example, a 15-page document may contain 15 individual invoices.
Steps
Open OneFileKit Split PDF.
Upload your document.
Choose Split Every Page.
Start processing.
Download the resulting files.
Extract the ZIP archive if necessary.
Confirm that all pages are included.
For a 15-page PDF, the expected result is 15 individual single-page PDFs.
PDFsam Basic and qpdf also support this type of splitting.
How to Extract Specific PDF Pages on Mac
Sometimes you need selected pages rather than a complete document split.
For example, you may want pages 3, 7, and 12 from a 30-page PDF.
Using Preview
Open the PDF.
Display thumbnails.
Select the required pages.
Drag them into Finder.
Save and verify the new PDF.
Using OneFileKit
Upload the PDF.
Select the required pages.
Start extraction.
Download the new document.
Splitting vs Extracting
Splitting divides a document into separate sections or files.
Extraction saves selected pages into a new PDF.
Choose the tool that matches your intended result.
How to Split PDF on Mac Without Adobe Acrobat
You don't need Adobe Acrobat to split PDFs on macOS.
Several alternatives are available.
Apple Preview: Built into macOS and useful for selected-page extraction.
OneFileKit: Free browser-based splitting with page ranges and individual-page options.
PDFsam Basic: Free offline splitting with advanced settings.
qpdf: Command-line splitting for technical users.
For occasional tasks, Preview or OneFileKit may be sufficient.
For repeated or advanced tasks, PDFsam Basic or qpdf may be preferable.
Does Splitting a PDF on Mac Reduce Quality?
Splitting a PDF generally aims to preserve the appearance of the original pages.
Unlike converting a PDF to JPG, splitting does not inherently require rendering each page as a raster image.
However, some advanced document features may be affected.
What Should You Check?
Text readability.
Image clarity.
Page dimensions.
Page rotation.
Hyperlinks.
Bookmarks.
Annotations.
Interactive form fields.
Digital signatures.
Splitting a digitally signed PDF may invalidate its signatures.
Always preserve the original document.
Does Splitting a PDF Reduce File Size?
Splitting can create smaller individual files because each output contains fewer pages.
However, splitting is not the same as compressing a PDF.
For example, a 20 MB PDF divided into two documents may produce two smaller files, but their combined size is not guaranteed to be exactly 20 MB.
Shared document resources may be duplicated during splitting.
Split PDF vs Compress PDF
Feature | Split PDF | Compress PDF |
|---|---|---|
Main purpose | Divide documents | Reduce file size |
Creates multiple PDFs | Often | Usually no |
Removes pages from each output | Yes | No |
Optimizes images | Not necessarily | Often |
Best for | Document organization | Storage and sharing limits |
If you want to keep every page while reducing file size, use OneFileKit Compress PDF.
Can You Split Password-Protected PDFs on Mac?
Some PDF documents are encrypted or protected by passwords.
Whether they can be split depends on the document's permissions and the selected software.
Recommended Steps
Open the PDF using the correct password.
Confirm you have permission to modify it.
Check the splitting tool's encryption support.
Choose the pages or ranges.
Split the authorized document.
Review the resulting files.
Apply appropriate security settings to the output.
Do not assume the split files automatically retain the original document's passwords or restrictions.
Why Can't I Split My PDF on Mac?
Several issues can prevent successful splitting.
1. Password Protection
The PDF may require authentication or restrict page extraction.
2. Corrupted PDF
A damaged document may fail to open or process.
3. Invalid Page Numbers
The selected page range may exceed the document's page count.
4. Large PDF Files
The document may exceed a tool's supported limits.
5. Browser Problems
An interrupted internet connection can affect online processing.
6. Insufficient Storage
Low available disk space may prevent output files from being saved.
7. Unsupported PDF Features
Some complex PDF structures may require different processing software.
Troubleshooting Steps
Open the original PDF in Preview.
Confirm the page count.
Check passwords and permissions.
Verify selected page ranges.
Try extracting a smaller section.
Check available storage.
Try another compatible PDF splitter.
Is It Safe to Split PDF Files Online on Mac?
Online PDF splitting generally involves uploading documents to a processing service.
Before uploading confidential files, review the provider's privacy and retention policies.
Check:
Whether HTTPS is used.
How uploaded files are processed.
Whether documents are temporarily stored.
How long files are retained.
Whether temporary files are automatically deleted.
How downloads are protected.
For confidential documents, a suitable offline application may be preferable.
Always keep the original PDF.
Related OneFileKit Articles and Tools
Explore these five relevant resources:
OneFileKit Split PDF — Divide PDF documents online for free.
OneFileKit Merge PDF — Combine multiple PDF documents.
Best Free PDF Split Software — Compare free PDF splitting applications.
OneFileKit Extract PDF Pages — Save selected PDF pages.
OneFileKit Organize PDF — Rearrange and organize document pages.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to split PDF on Mac gives you several ways to divide documents, extract selected pages, and organize large PDF files.
Apple Preview is useful for individual page extraction without installing additional software.
OneFileKit provides a browser-based solution for splitting PDFs by page range, extracting specific pages, or creating one PDF per page.
PDFsam Basic offers advanced free offline splitting features, while Adobe Acrobat provides additional document-management capabilities.
For developers, qpdf supports automated PDF splitting through Terminal.
If you want to split a document quickly, visit the OneFileKit Split PDF tool.
Choose the appropriate splitting method, keep the original PDF, and review the resulting documents before sharing them.
