5 Ways to Delete Pages from PDF Files

As we navigate the complexities of document management, it is not uncommon to encounter scenarios where a more streamlined and focused PDF is desired. Perhaps your goal is to reduce file size for easier sharing, extract relevant information for a concise report, or organize and refine a document for a polished presentation. Whatever the reason, mastering the art of deleting pages from PDF files provides you with a valuable tool in your digital toolkit.

In the following sections, we will explore a variety of techniques that suit different preferences and technologies. From widely used software like Adobe Acrobat to intuitive online editors, built-in platform-specific functionality, and even command-line tools for tech-savvy Linux users, each method offers a unique approach to achieving the common goal of perfecting your PDF files.

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So whether you need an easy-to-use interface, a browser-based solution, or a command-line utility, this guide gives you the best options for deleting PDF pages.

1. Go to Nanonets Split PDF Tool
2. Upload your PDF file
3. All your PDF pages will appear individually as icons. Select only the pages you want to keep and easily delete the rest of your PDF.
4. Select Download PDF.
5. In a few seconds, your PDF will download automatically.

#2: Use Google Chrome

1. Open the PDF in Google Chrome: Right click on the PDF file you want to edit, choose “Open with” and select “Google Chrome.” Alternatively, you can drag the PDF file into a Chrome browser window.
2. Access the Print dialog box: Once the PDF is open in Chrome, press Ctrl + P (Windows/Linux) or Command + P (Mac) to open the Print dialog box. Alternatively, you can click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the Chrome window, go to “Print” and select “Print” from the submenu.
3. Choose the print destination: In the Print dialog box, look for the “Destination” section. Instead of selecting a physical printer, choose “Save as PDF” as the destination. This option allows you to save the modified PDF to your computer.
4. Specify page range: Under “Target,” you'll find the “Pages” section. Select the option that says “Custom” and enter the page numbers you want to keep. For example, if you want to delete pages 3 and 4, enter “1,2,5-” to keep pages 1, 2, and 5 onwards.
5. Save the modified PDF: After specifying the page range, click the “Save” or “Save as PDF” button. This action saves the modified PDF with the selected page range to your computer.

Basically, this method involves printing the PDF to a new file and excluding the pages you want to delete. It's a quick and convenient solution for basic PDF editing using Google Chrome's built-in capabilities.

Limitations

While this method for deleting pages from a PDF on Windows is easy, it has some limitations:

1. Limited Edition Features: Chrome's PDF viewer and printing options are basic compared to dedicated PDF editing tools. You can only delete pages from PDF files or perform simple tasks.
2. Without preview of the modified PDF: Unlike dedicated PDF editors, you won't preview what the modified PDF will look like before saving it. Make sure you have selected the correct page range.
3. You may not retain links and annotations: Advanced PDF features such as hyperlinks and annotations may not be preserved with this method.

#3: Using Preview on MAC

1. Open the PDF in Preview: Locate the PDF file you want to edit and double-click it. This action should automatically open the PDF in Preview. If Preview is not the default PDF viewer, you can right-click the file, choose “Open with,” and select “Preview.”
2. Navigate to the Thumbnails view: Once the PDF is open in Preview, click the “View” menu in the top toolbar. From the drop-down menu, select “Thumbnails” or use the keyboard shortcut Command + Option + 2. This action opens a sidebar with thumbnail previews of all the pages in the PDF.
3. Select the page you want to delete: In Thumbnails view, find and click the thumbnail of the page you want to delete. You can select multiple pages by holding down the Command key.
4. Delete the page: After selecting the pages, press the Delete key on your keyboard or right-click the selected pages and choose “Delete” from the context menu.
5. Save changes: To save the modified PDF, go to the “File” menu and choose “Export as PDF.” Alternatively, you can press Command + S to overwrite the existing file or use “Save As” to create a new file.

Limitations

While Preview is a convenient tool for removing pages from a PDF on MAC, it has limitations:

1. Limited Advanced Edition: Preview is not as feature-rich as dedicated PDF editing software. It excels at basic tasks, but may fall short for more complex editing needs.
2. Platform Specific: The preview is exclusive to the macOS ecosystem, meaning users on other platforms may need workarounds.

For Linux users who are comfortable with the command line interface, pdftk or PDF Toolkit offers a powerful and efficient way to manipulate PDF files, including deleting specific pages.

1. Install pdftk on your Linux system
   • For Debian-based systems (such as Ubuntu), you can use the following command: sudo apt-get install pdftk
   • For Red Hat-based systems (such as Fedora), you can use: sudo yum install pdftk
   • Alternatively, you can compile and install pdftk from the source available on the official pdftk GitHub repository.
2. Use the following command to delete pages: pdftk input.pdf cat 1-4 7 end output output.pdf
   This command performs the following actions:
   • input.pdf: Replace this with the name of your original PDF file.
   • cat: It means “concatenate” and is the command used to manipulate PDF files with pdftk.
   • 1-4: Specifies the range of pages to keep. In this example, you keep pages 1 through 4.
   • 7-end: Specifies that all pages from 7 onwards should be kept.
   • output output.pdf: Specifies the name of the output file (the modified PDF).

So in this specific example, pages 5 and 6 are deleted from the original PDF and the modified PDF is saved as “output.pdf”.

Limitations

• Without graphical interface: Using pdftk via the command line may not be as user-friendly as GUI-based tools, making it more suitable for users who are comfortable with the terminal.
• Linux Compatibility: While pdftk is a popular tool, its availability may vary across Linux distributions and users of certain systems may need to explore alternative solutions.

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#5: PDF Workflows on Nanonetworks

Nanonets is an ai-based smart document processing platform where you can automatically create code-free workflows to extract pages from PDF files.

Let's say you have a document that contains an invoice, a purchase order, and other types of files in a single document. How will you divide them with Nanonets?

To use the document classifier, you must log in or create a free account on Nanonets.

Step 1: document upload

The document is automatically uploaded via email, Google Drive, Outlook or API integration.

Step 2: Split the document automatically

In Nanonets, you can set up automated workflows to split the document. The document is uploaded to the platform. This model automatically sorts and splits PDF files. The document type is displayed in detected type.

Step 3: Additional Actions on Elements

You can take further actions on these documents. You can automatically store them in databases and perform OCR on them or run rule-based workflows.

You can set up a document workflow automation like this in less than 5 minutes with Nanonets.

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Why nanonetworks?

Upload any number of PDF files and let Nanonets do the heavy lifting for you. The tool can process multiple files simultaneously, which will save you a lot of time and effort.

Nanonets combines advanced OCR technology and artificial intelligence to recognize text, numbers and other data on your receipts, invoices, bank statements, purchase orders and other documents. You can make your PDF files searchable and process complex documents with multiple layouts, languages, and structures.

Additionally, Nanonets comes with pre-built, low-code automation workflows. You can automate the entire process, from extraction, verification and validation to creating audit trails, processing payments or any other operation. This allows you to process documents faster, reduce manual errors, and save valuable time.

Nanonets integrates seamlessly with your existing systems such as ERP, CRM and accounting software. Whether it's Xero, QuickBooks, Salesforce or any other application, you can directly feed extracted data into these systems with minimal manual intervention.