Split PDF by size

How splitting works

Split PDF by Size helps you break one PDF into smaller files by target size, equal parts, or manual page assignment. The preview stays visible while you work, so you can see how the PDF is being divided before saving the result.

When to use this tool

This tool is useful when a PDF is too large for email, upload portals, client submissions, or document systems that enforce file-size limits. It is also helpful when you want smaller, easier-to-handle PDF parts without changing the page content.

• Break a large PDF into smaller files for email attachment limits or online upload caps.
• Split a long report, scan, or exported document into balanced parts for easier sharing.
• Create manual parts when specific pages must stay together in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and so on.
• Keep the original page order while still producing separate PDF files.

Need to split by page ranges or selected pages instead? Try split a PDF by pages or ranges. Need even smaller files after splitting? Use compress a PDF further after splitting. Need to pull only certain pages into a new file? Use extract selected PDF pages into a separate PDF.

Step-by-step: split a PDF

Splitting a PDF takes just a few steps:

• Add your PDF. Drag and drop a file into the box above, or click to choose from your device.
• Choose the split method. Pick By size, Equal parts, or Manual parts.
• Adjust the setting. Select a suggested size split, choose your own custom size, pick a number of equal parts, or assign pages manually.
• Review the live preview. The page grid always shows how the split is currently planned.
• Split PDF. Click Split PDF and save the output parts.

Split methods explained

• By size: choose a suggested size split from the dropdown, or switch to Custom size and enter a target like 2 MB or 500 KB per file.
• Equal parts: divide the PDF by page count as evenly as possible. If the pages cannot be split perfectly evenly, earlier parts receive the extra pages first.
• Manual parts: choose the active part and click pages in the preview to assign them yourself. Any pages you leave unassigned become the final remaining part automatically.

Example: if a PDF has 5 pages and you split it into 2 equal parts, the first part contains 3 pages and the second part contains 2 pages.

Important: splitting by size is usually approximate because PDFs can only be divided at page boundaries. If a single page already exceeds the selected target size by itself, that one-page output can still be larger than the limit.

Privacy, limits and how this tool treats your files

FileYoga is built around a simple rule: your files stay with you. PDF splitting runs locally in your browser, so your PDFs are never uploaded to FileYoga servers.

Tips for best results

• Use a suggested size option when you want a fast starting point for upload-friendly PDF parts.
• Use equal parts when you care more about balanced page counts than exact file sizes.
• Use manual parts when certain pages must stay together in the same output file.
• Watch the preview grid while changing settings so you can confirm which pages belong to each part.

Troubleshooting

• Split button does nothing: add 1 PDF file first and wait for the split preview to finish preparing.
• A part is larger than the chosen size: one page may already be larger than the selected target on its own, so splitting alone cannot reduce that part below the limit.
• Equal parts are not perfectly identical: equal-parts mode balances page count, not exact file size, so output sizes can still differ.
• Manual parts seem to miss pages: any pages you do not assign manually are automatically placed into the final remaining part.
• The PDF is still too large for upload: split it into more parts or use Compress PDF on the output files.
• The tool is slow: very large or image-heavy PDFs can take longer in the browser, so close heavy tabs or try a smaller file first.
• The file will not process: the PDF may be encrypted, damaged, or unusually complex — re-save it in a desktop PDF app and try again.

Frequently asked questions