How to Remove Pages from a PDF: Step-by-StepRemoving pages from a PDF is a common task — whether you need to delete confidential pages, shorten a document for distribution, or reorganize content. This guide walks through multiple methods for deleting PDF pages across different platforms and tools, with clear step-by-step instructions, tips to avoid data loss, and advice on preserving formatting and security.
When to Remove Pages from a PDF
Removing pages makes sense when you want to:
- Remove outdated or irrelevant content.
- Exclude confidential or sensitive pages before sharing.
- Create a condensed version of a larger report.
- Reorder or split documents into smaller files.
Before you start: backup and check permissions
- Always make a backup copy of the original PDF before deleting pages.
- Check if the PDF is password-protected or has editing restrictions; you’ll need the password or to remove restrictions before editing.
- If the document is part of an official record, confirm you’re allowed to alter it.
Method 1 — Adobe Acrobat (Paid, Desktop)
- Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
- Click “Organize Pages” in the right-hand pane (or choose Tools > Organize Pages).
- Thumbnails of all pages appear. Select the pages you want to delete (single-click for one, Ctrl/Shift-click for multiple).
- Click the trash can icon (Delete) or press Delete on your keyboard.
- Save the file (File > Save or Save As to keep original).
Tips:
- Use “Extract” first if you want to save deleted pages separately.
- Acrobat preserves bookmarks and links when possible.
Method 2 — Free Desktop Tools (Preview on macOS)
- Open the PDF in Preview.
- Show the sidebar (View > Thumbnails).
- Select the page thumbnails to remove (Command-click or Shift-click).
- Press Delete.
- Save the file (File > Export as PDF to create a new file if you want to keep original).
Other free desktop tools: PDFSam (Basic), LibreOffice Draw (can be clunky for complex PDFs).
Method 3 — Microsoft Edge (Windows)
- Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge.
- Click the Print icon or press Ctrl+P.
- Under “Printer,” choose “Save as PDF.”
- Under “Pages,” enter the page range(s) you want to keep (e.g., 1-3,5-10).
- Click “Save” and choose a filename.
This method recreates a PDF containing only the pages you specified.
Method 4 — Online PDF Editors (Web)
Popular options include smallpdf, ILovePDF, PDF2Go, Sejda. General steps:
- Upload your PDF to the site.
- Choose “Delete pages” or “Organize pages.”
- Select pages to delete; confirm deletion.
- Download the new PDF.
Cautions:
- Use reputable sites for sensitive documents — online uploads can pose privacy risks.
- Check file size and upload limits on free tiers.
Method 5 — Command Line (Ghostscript)
For power users, Ghostscript can create a new PDF without certain pages. Example command to keep pages 1–3 and 5–end:
gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -dSAFER -dFirstPage=1 -dLastPage=3 -sOutputFile=part1.pdf input.pdf gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -dSAFER -dFirstPage=5 -dLastPage=9999 -sOutputFile=part2.pdf input.pdf Then merge part1.pdf and part2.pdf with a PDF merger.
Method 6 — Mobile Apps (iOS/Android)
- iOS: Use the Files app or third-party apps like PDF Expert. Open PDF, tap thumbnails, delete pages, save.
- Android: Use Xodo, Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile, or other PDF editors; steps are similar.
Preserve bookmarks, links, and form data
- Some tools strip interactive elements. If bookmarks and links matter, use tools known to preserve them (Adobe Acrobat Pro, some desktop apps).
- Test the resulting PDF to ensure forms still work.
If the PDF is password-protected or scanned
- For password-protected PDFs, you’ll need the password to remove pages.
- For scanned PDFs (images), deleting pages is the same, but OCR isn’t necessary unless you plan to edit text. If OCR has been applied, deleting pages won’t affect recognized text beyond removing those pages.
Troubleshooting
- Deleted pages still appear when printing? Save the new PDF and print the saved file.
- Unable to delete due to restrictions? Use tools to remove editing restrictions if you have authorization and the password.
- Page numbers or headers/footers shift? Consider re-running page numbering or using a PDF editor to adjust headers/footers.
Quick decision guide
- Want a fast free option on Windows: Microsoft Edge Print to PDF.
- On macOS: Preview.
- Need reliable preservation of structure and metadata: Adobe Acrobat Pro.
- Prefer online convenience: reputable services like Smallpdf/ILovePDF/Sejda (avoid for very sensitive docs).
- Power user automation: Ghostscript or command-line tools.
Removing pages from a PDF is straightforward once you choose the right tool for your needs. Back up first, confirm permissions, and test the final document for lost links, bookmarks, or form fields.
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