How to Split a PDF Into Multiple Files at Once (with Groups)

Splitting a PDF usually means one output at a time: pull pages 1–5 into a file, come back, pull 6–12 into another, and so on. If a 40-page packet needs to become six separate documents, that's six trips through the tool. Groups collapse all of that into a single pass: you mark which pages belong to which document, give each a name, and export them all at once — one PDF per group.

This guide covers splitting a PDF into several files with groups, the two ways to assign pages, and how the export works.

Before you start

• The PDF shouldn't be password-protected. Splitting reads the page structure, which encryption blocks. If your file is locked, run it through Unlock PDF first (you'll need the original password).
• Think in terms of documents, not pages. Groups work best when you already know the documents you want out — "contract," "appendix," "invoices" — and just need to say which pages go into each.

The steps

1. Open Blackpdf's Split PDF tool and drop your file in. Every page renders as a thumbnail.

2. You start with one group. In the Groups panel on the right, whatever pages you click get added to the active group. Click the pages for your first document — they highlight in the group's colour.

3. Add another group. Click Add group. It becomes the new active group with its own colour. Click the pages for your second document; they highlight in that colour. Repeat for as many documents as you need — each group gets a distinct colour from the palette.

4. Name each group. Click a group's name to rename it (the defaults are "New Group", "New Group B", and so on). The name matters: each group's PDF is named after the group, so "Contract," "Appendix," and "Receipts" export as Contract.pdf, Appendix.pdf, and Receipts.pdf.

5. Switch the active group by clicking its chip — then any pages you click (or type) go into that group. The "Showing" pill lets you highlight every group at once, or isolate just the active one so you can see its pages clearly.

6. Export. With two or more groups, the primary button reads Split into groups — one PDF per group. Click it, and download your set of files.

The faster way: type ranges with commas

You don't have to click every page. The Select Pages / Ranges box takes typed page numbers and ranges — and the comma is what creates groups:

• Type 1-3, 5, 8-10 when you have no groups yet, and you get three groups in one go: pages 1–3, page 5, and pages 8–10, each exporting as its own PDF.
• Type a single part like 1-3 (no comma) and it just selects those pages in the current group — no split.
• Once groups exist, whatever you type is added to the active group, so you can build a group by mixing clicks and typed ranges.

This is the quickest route when you already know the page boundaries: one line like 1-10, 11-25, 26-40 turns a report into three documents instantly.

Common questions

How is this different from the old split?

The classic split still works: with no groups (or a single group) you get the familiar Single PDF (combine your selected pages into one file) and Separate PDFs (one file per page). Groups add the ability to produce several multi-page documents in one export — which used to take one pass per output.

Can the same page go into more than one group?

Yes. A page can belong to multiple groups, and it appears in each of those groups' PDFs. Handy when a cover sheet or a summary page needs to lead more than one of the split documents.

What are the output files named?

Each group's PDF takes the group's name (sanitized for the filesystem), so naming your groups well means your downloads are already labelled — Contract.pdf, Appendix.pdf, and so on. If two groups end up with the same name, the tool de-dupes them automatically.

Do pages keep their order within a group?

Yes — pages within a group export in document order, regardless of the order you clicked them.

Can I split a password-protected PDF into groups?

Not directly. Unlock it first, split into groups, then re-apply protection with Protect PDF if needed.

What if I only want individual single pages?

Stay in classic mode (don't add groups) and use Separate PDFs — one file per page. Groups are for when you want multi-page documents; the main split guide covers the single-page and single-range cases.

Wrap-up

To turn one PDF into several documents in a single pass:

1. Drop your file into Split PDF.
2. Click pages into a group; Add group and repeat for each document.
3. Name each group (the name becomes the filename).
4. Click Split into groups and download.

Or skip the clicking entirely: type 1-10, 11-25, 26-40 and let the commas create the groups for you. For the classic single-file and per-page splits, see the main Split PDF guide; to recombine files later, there's Merge PDF.