How to Delete Pages From a PDF (Mac, Windows and Online)
Blank pages from a double-sided scan, a cover sheet nobody needs, or one page with private information you do not want to share: deleting pages from a PDF is a very common task. Here are the simplest free ways to do it on any computer.
Online, on any device
Our Split PDF tool removes pages by keeping only the ones you want.
- Open Split PDF and choose your file. The tool shows the number of pages.
- Keep the mode on Extract pages into one PDF.
- Type the pages to keep. To delete page 2 from a 6-page file, type
1, 3-6. - Click Split PDF and save the new file.
| Goal | Original | Type this |
|---|---|---|
| Delete page 1 (cover) | 10 pages | 2-10 or 2- |
| Delete the last page | 10 pages | 1-9 |
| Delete pages 4 and 7 | 10 pages | 1-3, 5-6, 8-10 |
| Delete every even page (blank backs) | 6 pages | 1, 3, 5 |
The original file is not changed, so you can always start again if you make a mistake.
On a Mac with Preview
- Open the PDF in Preview and choose View → Thumbnails.
- Click the page you want to remove. Hold Command to select several pages.
- Press the Delete key.
- Choose File → Export as PDF to save a new copy, or File → Save to overwrite the original.
On Windows with the built-in PDF printer
- Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge.
- Press Ctrl+P and choose Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer.
- Under Pages, enter the pages to keep, for example
1, 3-6. - Click Print and choose where to save the new PDF.
This method works without any download, but "printing" can lose some features of the original, such as clickable links. The online Split tool copies the pages exactly.
Deleting a page for privacy reasons
Removing a whole page removes its content from the new file. However, if you only want to hide part of a page, such as an account number, drawing a black box over it in a simple editor may not remove the text underneath. Proper redaction requires a tool designed for it. When in doubt, remove the full page or create a new document without the sensitive information.
Adding pages back
Deleted the wrong page? Extract it from the original file and combine both files with Merge PDF.
Summary
To delete pages, keep the pages you want: type them into Split PDF, use Preview's thumbnails on a Mac, or print a page range to PDF on Windows. Always keep the original until you have checked the new file.