Split PDF pages in half
cut locally · nothing uploaded
about this tool
This tool cuts every page of a PDF into two pages — the fix for a book scanned two pages at a time, an A3 sheet that should be two A4 pages, a printed booklet, or slides exported two-up. Choose a vertical cut (left | right) or a horizontal one (top / bottom), drag the cut line to match the scan's real gutter, and download one PDF with the pages in reading order.
The split is lossless. Instead of rasterizing each half into a new image, the tool duplicates the page and narrows its visible area (the PDF MediaBox and CropBox) to each half. Text stays selectable and searchable, vector drawings stay sharp, and because both halves share the same page content, the output is about the same size as the original.
Scans rarely behave perfectly, so the tool handles the exceptions: pages with a /Rotate flag are cut along the edge you see, not the one stored in the file; single portrait pages such as covers can be left whole automatically; and right-to-left order puts the right half first for manga, Arabic and Hebrew books.
under the blade
- Method
- Page duplicated, then MediaBox/CropBox/TrimBox set to each half — no re-rendering
- Quality
- Lossless: text, vectors, fonts and image resolution unchanged
- Output size
- ≈ input size — both halves reference the same content streams
- Cut
- Vertical or horizontal, line adjustable from 20% to 80% in 0.5% steps
- Rotation
- Honours /Rotate 90/180/270 so the cut follows what you see on screen
- Exceptions
- Skip portrait pages · keep first/last page whole · right-to-left order
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser with pdf-lib and pdf.js; nothing uploaded
how it works
- 1 cm
Drop the scanned PDF
The first two-page spread renders as a preview with the cut line drawn on it. Step through pages with the arrows.
- 2 cm
Line up the cut
Choose left | right or top / bottom and drag the slider until the dashed line sits on the gutter. Tick the options for covers and right-to-left books.
- 3 cm
Split and download
One click produces a single PDF with every cut page replaced by its two halves, in reading order.
frequently asked questions
How do I split a scanned PDF with two pages per sheet into single pages?
Drop the PDF here, keep the cut on 'Left | Right', check the preview line sits on the book's gutter, and download. Each two-page scan becomes two consecutive pages in one new PDF.
Does splitting a page in half reduce quality?
No. The halves aren't screenshots — they're the original page shown through a smaller window (the CropBox). Text remains selectable and searchable and images keep their full resolution.
Is the hidden half really removed from each page?
No, and it's worth knowing: cropping hides content without deleting it, so the full page content is still inside the file and could be recovered with a PDF editor. To truly remove content, print each half to a new PDF or use a redaction tool.
Can I convert A3 pages to A4 with this?
Yes. An A3 landscape page is exactly two A4 portrait pages side by side, so a vertical cut at 50% produces true A4 pages. For A3 portrait, use the horizontal cut.
My scan's gutter isn't in the middle — what do I do?
Drag the 'Cut line' slider. It moves in 0.5% steps from 20% to 80% and the preview updates live, so you can match an off-centre scan. The same position applies to every page that is cut.
What about the cover and single pages?
Tick 'Only cut landscape pages' to leave portrait pages (usually covers or inserts) whole, or use 'Keep the first/last page whole' for cover pages scanned in landscape.