How to use it
- Drop your PDF here.
- Choose vertical (left/right) or horizontal (top/bottom).
- Optionally keep the first or last page whole.
- Click Split pages in half.
When you need to cut pages in half
- Book and magazine scans. Scanning a book open on a flatbed or with a phone captures two pages per image. Splitting gives you one page per PDF page, which reads far better on a phone or e-reader and works properly with OCR.
- Printed spreads. Brochures and booklets exported as spreads (two pages side by side) become single pages for screen reading or reprinting.
- 11 × 17 or A3 sheets that hold two letter-size pages, such as large-format scans of two documents together.
- 2-up handouts where you want the individual pages back.
Options
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Vertically (left and right halves) | Each page becomes two: left half, then right half |
| Horizontally (top and bottom halves) | Each page becomes two: top half, then bottom half |
| Keep the first page (cover) whole | The first page is not split; useful when the front cover was scanned alone |
| Keep the last page (back cover) whole | The same for the last page |
| Right half first | For right-to-left publications such as Arabic, Hebrew or Japanese manga |
The page count roughly doubles: a 60-page scan of open book spreads becomes about 120 single pages.
How it works
Each half is created by restricting the visible area of a copy of the page to that half, the same way cropping works. Nothing is re-rendered, so text stays selectable and image quality is unchanged. Because each half is a cropped view of the full page, the hidden half is still present in the file data; the file grows somewhat, and you should not rely on this to hide content. For sensitive information, use Redact PDF.
The split is exactly in the middle. If your scans are off-center, crop them first with Crop PDF so the spine sits in the middle.
Private and fast
Everything runs in your browser, so scanned books, notes and documents are never uploaded. Splitting only changes page boundaries, so it is quick even for long scans. The result shows a preview of the first pages so you can check the order before using it.
A worked example
You scanned a 30-page paperback as 16 images: the front cover alone, 14 two-page spreads, and the back cover alone. Choose Vertically, tick Keep the first page whole and Keep the last page whole, and click Split pages in half. You get a 30-page PDF in reading order: cover, then pages 1, 2, 3 and so on, then the back cover. Run it through OCR PDF to make the text searchable.
Tips for book scans
- Scan straight. Keep the book's spine parallel to the scanner edge or the phone frame, so the middle line falls between the pages.
- Check the first spread. If the result shows a sliver of the neighboring page on each half, crop the scan first so the spine is centered.
- Odd covers. If the cover was scanned as a spread together with the inside cover, leave Keep the first page whole off.
- Photos from a phone? Scan to PDF straightens each photo before you split it.
- Reading on a tablet afterward? Splitting plus cropping the margins gives the largest, most readable text.
Frequently asked questions
How do I split a scanned book PDF into single pages?
Choose Vertically and click Split pages in half. Each two-page scan becomes two separate pages.
Can I keep the cover as one page?
Yes. Tick Keep the first page whole (and Keep the last page whole for a back cover).
What about right-to-left books?
Tick Right half first so the right page comes before the left one.
Does splitting lower the quality?
No. Pages are not re-rendered; only the visible area changes.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The pages are split in your browser.
Last updated: November 12, 2026