How to Split a PDF on Mac (Extract Pages)

By NUR Technologies · · 3 min read

Sometimes you only need three pages of a 200-page PDF, or you want to send a long document in parts. You can split it on a Mac without uploading it anywhere.

Option 1: Preview (free, built in)

  1. Open the PDF and show thumbnailsOpen it in Preview and choose View > Thumbnails.
  2. Select the pages you wantClick one thumbnail, and Command-click to add more.
  3. Drag them outDrag the selected thumbnails to the Desktop or a Finder folder: they become a new PDF with just those pages.

Another way: delete the pages you do not want and save the result under a new name with File > Export as PDF, so your original stays whole.

Option 2: Rivet

In Rivet, Split works by ranges (for example 1-3, 4, 5-), every N pages or one page per file, and it writes one file per part. The Pages tool shows thumbnails so you can reorder, rotate, delete and extract a selection.

  1. Open SplitDrop the PDF on Rivet and choose Split.
  2. Choose how to cutType ranges like 1-3, 4, 5-, or pick every N pages or one by one.
  3. SavePress the main button: you get one file per part.

FAQ

Can I split a PDF on a Mac for free?

Yes. In Preview you can drag selected page thumbnails out to make a new PDF.

Can Rivet split by page ranges?

Yes. Use ranges such as 1-3, 4, 5-, every N pages, or one page per file.

Is my original changed?

No. You save new files and the original stays as it was.

What does Rivet need?

Rivet requires macOS 26 or later.

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