100% local: total privacy
Split a PDF online into several files to download for free.
Separate your PDF files directly in your browser, free and with no account required, for maximum privacy. Your documents never leave your computer: no server, no upload.
Why use CocoonPDF
How it works
Drop a PDF, pick a splitting mode (every page, a fixed number of pages, a maximum size per file, or a visual selection), and download the resulting files a few seconds later.
Four splitting modes
Page by page, in batches of X pages, by a maximum size in MB, or by clicking directly on the pages to separate: the mode adapts to your need, not the other way around.
Simple to use
No account to create, no software to learn: drag your file in, pick a mode, click Split. That's it.
Works on every device
CocoonPDF runs entirely in your browser: Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, or Android, nothing to install for your system.
No install, no server
Unlike typical "online" tools, your files are never sent to a server to be split: all the processing happens right on your device.
Private by design
Since nothing ever leaves your device, there's nothing to store or later delete from a remote server: your documents stay with you, from the first byte to the last.
How to split a PDF effectively: the complete guide
Splitting a PDF means extracting one or more pages from a document into separate files. CocoonPDF offers four ways to do it, each suited to a different need. Here's how they work, and which one to pick.
The four splitting modes, and when to use them
"Every page" extracts each page into its own file: useful for scanning a batch of documents at once and then separating them. "Fixed page count" groups pages into regular batches (say, 5 at a time): handy for cutting a long report into equal-sized chapters. "Maximum size" automatically works out where to cut so each resulting file stays under a size limit you choose, in megabytes. "Visual selection" lets you click directly between pages, on the thumbnails, to mark where to cut: the only mode where you choose exactly where the cuts fall.
Splitting by file size: how it really works
This mode doesn't just cut every X pages: it actually builds each file, measures its size, and adjusts the cut until it fits under the chosen limit, while keeping the number of files as low as possible. You can also turn on automatic compression before splitting: CocoonPDF first compresses the PDF at the "Balanced" level, which often reduces the number of files needed to stay under the limit. This is the mode to use when the constraint is an email attachment size limit or an upload limit on an online form.
Visual selection: full control
In visual mode, every page thumbnail can be clicked to mark a cut right after it: pages are grouped by color according to which file they'll end up in. It's the right mode when you need to pull out a precise part of a document, for example a single invoice in the middle of a batch of scans, or a chapter that doesn't line up with any regular split.
What happens to bookmarks, forms, and internal links
Splitting copies pages as they are: the visual content, text, and form fields stay intact on each page. A bookmark or internal link that pointed to a page ending up in a different file, on the other hand, won't be able to find it anymore, since that page no longer exists in the original document. This rarely matters in practice, but it's worth knowing if your PDF has a clickable table of contents.
Getting back to a single file after splitting
If you need to recombine some of the resulting files, say after removing one or reordering them, CocoonPDF's Merge tool does exactly the opposite: it assembles several PDFs into one, in the order you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDF files sent to a server?
No. All splitting happens right in your browser: no file is ever sent to or stored on a server. You can verify this yourself: open your browser's developer tools (F12), Network tab, before splitting.
Is CocoonPDF really free?
Yes: no account, no limit on the number of splits, and no watermark on the PDFs you produce. The site is funded by a small ad.
What splitting modes are available?
Four modes: "Every page" creates one file per page, "Every X pages" groups a fixed number of pages per file, "By file size" targets a maximum weight in MB per file, and "Visual selection" lets you click directly on pages to choose where to cut.
Does splitting change the content or quality of the PDF?
No: splitting a PDF only separates its existing pages into new files; each page's content stays identical to the original. The one exception: enabling compression before splitting in "By file size" mode, which can slightly lower image quality to hit the target size.
What's the maximum file size?
100 MB per file. Since everything runs in your browser, actual speed also depends on how much memory your device has available.
Can I set a maximum size for each resulting file?
Yes, with "By file size" mode: set a maximum weight in MB and CocoonPDF automatically distributes pages to respect that limit, creating as few files as possible. An optional compression step can tighten the result even further.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes, right in the browser (Chrome, Safari...): no app to install.
Is the page order preserved after splitting?
Yes: each resulting file keeps the original order of the pages it contains. Splitting only cuts the document into pieces, it never reorders or duplicates its content.