EveryPDFToolSplit PDF by Bookmarks
Turn bookmarked PDF sections into separate files automatically. Top-level bookmarks define each section while nested bookmarks remain inside the relevant output PDF.
Drop your bookmarked PDF here
Choose a PDF that contains document bookmarks or an outline.
Maximum file size: 50 MBSplit a PDF using its bookmarks
PDF bookmarks are often used to mark chapters, sections, appendices and other major parts of long documents. This tool uses the document's top-level bookmarks as automatic split points, so you do not need to enter page ranges manually.
For example, if a PDF has top-level bookmarks for Introduction, Chapter One and Chapter Two, the tool creates separate PDF files for those sections based on the pages where each bookmark begins.
Top-level bookmarks define the files
Only top-level bookmarks create new files. Nested bookmarks remain inside their relevant section instead of creating many small PDFs. This is useful for manuals, reports, books, legal files and other structured documents.
Pages before the first bookmark are preserved
If the document contains cover pages, a contents page or other material before its first top-level bookmark, those pages are not discarded. They are saved as a separate Front Matter PDF.
Tested by EveryPDFTool
We tested the splitter with an eight-page PDF containing three top-level bookmarks and several nested bookmarks. Two pages appeared before the first bookmark.
The result contained four PDFs: a two-page Front Matter file plus three bookmarked sections. All eight original pages remained in order, selectable text was preserved, and the nested bookmarks remained inside their correct section PDFs.
Frequently asked questions
How does splitting a PDF by bookmarks work?
The tool reads the PDF outline and uses top-level bookmarks as section boundaries. Each section is saved as a separate PDF.
Are nested bookmarks preserved?
Yes. Nested bookmarks within a section are copied into that section's output PDF with their page destinations adjusted.
What happens to pages before the first bookmark?
They are preserved in a separate Front Matter PDF rather than being discarded.
What if my PDF has no bookmarks?
The tool needs at least one usable top-level PDF bookmark. If none are found, it will tell you that the document cannot be split by bookmarks.
Does the tool convert PDF pages to images?
No. The existing PDF pages are copied directly into the resulting section files instead of being deliberately rasterized.