Split PDF by Bookmarks
Short answer: To split a PDF by bookmarks, choose your PDF, pick a bookmark level, and click Split. Every chapter becomes its own PDF, named after its bookmark, and your file never leaves your device.
Split a PDF at its bookmarks (table of contents) — one file per chapter or section, each named after its bookmark. Perfect for breaking a long report, ebook or manual into shareable chapters — free, with no signup, and your file never leaves your device.
or drag & drop it here — processed on your device, nothing is uploaded
Your split files
| Part | Bookmark | Pages | Size |
|---|
How to split a PDF by bookmarks
Choose your PDF. Its bookmarks (table of contents) are read instantly, right in your browser.
Pick a bookmark level — top-level chapters only, or deeper sections too — and see exactly which bookmarks become split points.
Click Split. Every chapter becomes its own PDF, named after its bookmark. Download each part or all of them as a ZIP.
When is splitting by bookmarks useful?
Long documents — ebooks, reports, manuals, course material — are usually organised into chapters, and those chapters are stored as bookmarks. Splitting by bookmarks turns one big file into clean, sensibly named chapter files without you having to look up page numbers. A teacher can hand out one chapter at a time, a team can share just the relevant section of a report, and an ebook reader can keep each chapter as its own file. Because each part keeps the original pages' fonts and images, quality is identical to the source.
Frequently asked questions
How do I split a PDF by bookmarks?
Upload your PDF and the tool reads its bookmarks (table of contents). Choose which bookmark level to split at — for example top-level chapters only — then click Split. Each bookmark becomes its own PDF file, named after the bookmark, and you can download them individually or all at once as a ZIP.
What if my PDF has no bookmarks?
Then there is nothing to split by. The tool tells you so clearly instead of failing silently. Use Split PDF by Size or Extract Pages instead, or add bookmarks to the PDF first (for example in a desktop PDF editor) and try again.
What happens to pages before the first bookmark?
Pages before the first split bookmark (for example a cover or preface) are kept together as their own first file, so no pages are ever lost.
Are the output files named after the bookmarks?
Yes. Each part is named after its bookmark, for example "Chapter 1 - Introduction.pdf". Characters that are not allowed in file names are replaced automatically.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser with pdf.js and pdf-lib. Your file never leaves your device.
Why TheEditPDF?
Every tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files never leave your device — ideal for confidential legal, financial and business documents.
All tools free forever. No signup, no watermark, no hidden limits. What you see is what you get.
Works on phone, tablet and computer. Open your browser and start.
Files are processed on your device — nothing is uploaded.