How to Split a PDF on Mac — 3 Free Methods
Fastest method: Use DocMint Split PDF in Safari — upload, set page ranges, download. Free, no signup, no installation. For a built-in option, macOS Preview works too.
Method 1: DocMint (Free, Browser-Based — Best for Page Ranges)
The easiest way to split PDFs on Mac with precise control over page ranges.
- Open DocMint Split PDF in Safari or Chrome
- Upload your PDF
- Choose your split method:
- By page range — e.g., pages 1-5 and 6-10
- Extract specific pages — e.g., pages 3, 7, 12
- Split into individual pages — every page becomes its own PDF
- Click Split PDF
- Download the resulting files (as a ZIP if multiple)
Best for: Splitting by specific page ranges, extracting chapters, or splitting large documents.
Method 2: macOS Preview (Built-In, Free)
Every Mac has Preview pre-installed. It can split PDFs without any additional software.
Split by Dragging Pages
- Open your PDF in Preview
- Show the thumbnail sidebar: View → Thumbnails
- Select the pages you want to extract (hold ⌘ to select multiple)
- Drag the selected thumbnails to the Desktop or a Finder folder
- Preview creates a new PDF with just those pages
Delete Pages to Split
- Duplicate your PDF first (⌘D in Finder)
- Open the duplicate in Preview
- Select the pages you want to remove from this copy
- Press Delete to remove them
- Save — you now have a PDF with only the pages you kept
- Repeat with the original for the other section
Best for: Simple splits on small documents. Tedious for large PDFs or many splits.
Method 3: Automator (Mac Built-In, Advanced)
macOS Automator can batch-split PDFs — useful if you need to split many PDFs the same way.
- Open Automator (in Applications)
- Create a new Workflow
- Add the action Split PDF from the PDF category
- Configure the split settings
- Run the workflow on your PDF
Best for: Power users who need to automate repetitive PDF splitting tasks.
Comparison: PDF Splitting Methods on Mac
| Method | Page Ranges | Ease of Use | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DocMint | ✅ Yes | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | None |
| Preview | Manual only | ⭐⭐⭐ | Pre-installed |
| Automator | ✅ Yes | ⭐⭐ | Pre-installed |
FAQ
Can I split a PDF on Mac for free?
Yes. DocMint splits PDFs in your browser for free — no software installation, no signup. macOS Preview also has a built-in free method.
Does Mac Preview split PDFs?
Yes. macOS Preview can split PDFs by dragging pages out of the thumbnail sidebar into a new Finder window. It's free and built into every Mac.
How do I split a PDF into individual pages on Mac?
In DocMint, upload your PDF, select "Split into individual pages," and download a ZIP file containing each page as a separate PDF. In Preview, drag each page thumbnail to the desktop.
Can I split a PDF by page range on Mac?
Yes. DocMint lets you specify exact page ranges (e.g., pages 1-5, 6-10). Preview requires manually dragging pages, which is tedious for large documents.
Will splitting a PDF reduce quality?
No. Splitting only separates pages — it does not re-compress or modify the content of any page.