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A scanned book or a PDF of two-page spreads — cut in your browser, never uploadedAbout splitting PDF pages in half
When you scan a book on a flatbed scanner or with a phone, you usually get two pages in one picture: the left page and the right page side by side. The same happens with magazines, comics and PDFs exported as "spreads". On a phone or an e-reader those wide pages are hard to read.
This tool cuts every page into two pages. Choose left | right for books and spreads, or top / bottom for pages that hold two parts one above the other. Move the cut line on the preview if the fold is not in the middle.
The pages are not redrawn and not turned into new pictures, so there is no quality loss. Everything happens in your browser; your PDF is never uploaded.
Features
- Left | right or top / bottom — cut vertically or horizontally
- Movable cut line — drag it on the preview, or use the slider; the middle is the default
- Covers stay whole — keep the first and the last page as they are
- Right-to-left books — the right half first, for manga, Arabic and Hebrew books
- Only wide pages — single pages in a book of spreads can stay whole
- No quality loss — a scan keeps its own pixels and text stays text
- Page by page preview — check any page and see its new page numbers
How the cut works
Each page is copied twice into the new PDF. The first copy shows only the left (or top) part, the second copy only the right (or bottom) part. The page content itself is not touched.
Some common sizes, cut in the middle:
| Spread | Each half |
|---|---|
| Tabloid landscape, 17 × 11 in | Letter, 8.5 × 11 in |
| A3 landscape, 420 × 297 mm | A4, 210 × 297 mm |
| A4 landscape, 297 × 210 mm | A5, 148.5 × 210 mm |
| Letter landscape, 11 × 8.5 in | 5.5 × 8.5 in (half letter) |
A scanned book is rarely cut at exactly 50%: the fold can sit a little to one side. Look at a few pages with the arrows above the preview and move the line until it sits on the fold.
Covers, single pages and page numbers
A scanned book often starts and ends with a single page: the front cover and the back cover. Tick Keep the first page whole and Keep the last page whole, and those two pages are not cut.
Example: a book scanned as 20 images, where the first and the last image are covers. With both boxes ticked you get 1 + 18 × 2 + 1 = 38 pages. Without them you get 40 pages, and the two covers are cut in half.
If single pages are mixed in the middle, tick Only cut pages that are wider than tall. Then only the landscape scans are cut.
The badges on the preview show the page numbers in the new PDF, so you can check the order before you download.
Right-to-left books
Japanese manga and books in Arabic or Hebrew are read from right to left. On a two-page spread the right page comes first. Choose Right half first and the right half of each spread becomes the earlier page.
Common uses
- Scanned books and notes — turn two-page scans into single pages for an e-reader or a phone
- Magazines and comics — split spreads saved as one wide page
- Manga — right-to-left spreads in the right reading order
- Print layouts — split an A3 or Tabloid sheet with two pages on it back into A4 or Letter pages
- Two forms on one page — split a page that holds two copies of a form or a ticket, top and bottom
Good to know
- The other half is hidden, not deleted. It is still inside the file and can be shown again by some PDF programs. To remove private content for good, use Redact PDF
- Turned (rotated) pages are cut the way you see them on screen
- Filled-in form fields are locked into the pages first, so the answers stay
- Links go with the half they sit on
- The file stays about the same size: the two halves share one copy of the page
- A password-protected PDF must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF
Frequently asked questions
How do I split a scanned PDF into single pages?
Upload the PDF, keep Left | right and check the cut line on the preview. Tick Keep the first page whole if the first scan is a single cover. Then click Download PDF. Each two-page scan becomes two pages.
Does splitting pages in half lose quality?
No. The pages are not redrawn and not compressed again. Each half shows the original page content, so a scan keeps every pixel and text stays sharp and selectable.
The fold is not in the middle of my scans. What can I do?
Drag the red line on the preview, or use the Cut position slider. The same position is used for every page. Use the arrows to check a few pages first.
Can I split pages in half horizontally?
Yes. Choose Top / bottom. The top half becomes the first page and the bottom half the second.
Why is my new PDF not smaller?
Each half still holds the whole page, hidden outside its edges. That is what keeps the quality. If you need a smaller file, run Compress PDF afterwards.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The pages are cut inside your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
Related tools
- Split PDF — take out page ranges or single pages
- Crop PDF — cut away the white edges after splitting
- Organize PDF — move pages that ended up in the wrong place
- Scan to PDF — scan a book with your phone camera first
- PDF Pages per Sheet — the opposite: put 2 or more pages on one sheet
- Merge PDF — join the split chapters into one book
How to use it
- Click Click to upload, or drop your PDF onto the box
- Choose Left | right or Top / bottom
- Drag the cut line onto the fold, and check a few pages with the arrows
- Tick Keep the first page whole or Keep the last page whole for covers
- For manga or Arabic books, choose Right half first
- Click Download PDF
