Split PDF Pages in Half
Choose how to cut: down the middle for two page spreads scanned side by side, or across the middle for two pages on one sheet. Each page becomes two, in reading order.
Drag a PDF file here or choose one
Worked examples
A scanned spread
A page 600 points wide and 400 high, cut down the middle
Two pages, each 300 points wide and 400 high
The left half comes first unless right to left is ticked.
About Split PDF Pages in Half
When a book or a magazine is scanned two pages at a time, the PDF has landscape pages that each hold two pages of the book. This tool cuts every page in half, so each spread becomes two pages in reading order. You can also cut across the middle, for sheets that carry two pages one above the other.
Each page is copied twice. One copy is cropped to the left half and the other to the right half, or top and bottom, so the result has twice as many pages, each at half the size. Tick the right to left option for books that read from the right, such as manga or Hebrew and Arabic books, so the right half comes first. The cut is made by changing the visible area, so nothing is redrawn and the file size grows with the copies. The half you cannot see is still in the file. Pages stored turned are halved as you see them.
How to use Split PDF Pages in Half
- Choose the PDF file.
- Choose whether to cut down the middle or across it.
- Tick the right to left box if the book reads from the right.
- Press Split the pages, check the page count and download the file.
Common uses
- Turning a scanned book spread into single pages
- Separating two pages printed on one sheet
- Preparing a scan for reading on a phone or an e-reader
- Splitting a scanned magazine so each page can be edited on its own
Frequently asked questions
How many pages will the result have?
Twice as many as the original. A 12 page file of spreads becomes 24 pages.
Does it cut exactly in the middle?
Yes, at half the visible width or height. If the scan has a gap or a shadow down the middle, crop it first with the Crop PDF tool or trim the result afterwards.
What does the right to left option do?
It puts the right half before the left half on each spread. Use it for books that read right to left, so the pages come out in the right order.
Does the file get bigger?
Yes. Each page is copied twice, so shared pictures and fonts are kept once but the page descriptions are doubled. Run the Compress PDF tool afterwards if size matters.
Are the hidden parts deleted?
No. Each half hides the other half, but the whole page content is still in each copy. For a permanent cut, print the result to a new PDF.