Category: Tech Tip | Published: 2026-10-13
You have a long PDF, but the person you are sending it to only needs one section. Perhaps it is a page of instructions, a few figures from a report or the supporting information for a meeting.
Rather than sending the whole document and explaining which pages to read, you can save individual PDF pages as a separate file. Google Chrome has a built-in option that does this through its print preview, without needing to upload the document to an online PDF-splitting service.
The process is straightforward on Windows: open the PDF in Chrome, select the pages you want and save a new PDF. Your original stays unchanged when you use a different filename.
A document that is easy to send is not always easy to read. A colleague looking for two relevant pages in a lengthy report may have to scroll through material that has nothing to do with their task.
Creating a separate PDF makes the intended reading clearer. It can be helpful when sharing an instruction sheet, selected report pages or a short extract for discussion.
It also lets you review exactly what you are about to share. Selecting fewer pages does not automatically remove every sensitive detail, but it gives you a more focused document to check before sending.
Find the PDF in Windows File Explorer. Right-click the file, choose Open with, then select Google Chrome.
Using Open with lets you choose Chrome for this task without needing to change the application you normally use to open PDFs.
Check that the document has opened and that you can see its pages before continuing.
Press Ctrl + P to bring up Chrome's print window.
Under Destination, select Save as PDF. This tells Chrome to create a file rather than send the selected pages to a physical printer.
Under Pages, choose Custom and enter the page positions you want to include.
For example, entering 2-4,7 selects pages two, three, four and seven from the PDF. A hyphen joins a continuous range, while a comma separates that range from another page.
You can also use a single page number, such as 5, to save just one page. A range such as 3-6 selects four consecutive pages. For separate pages, a selection such as 1,5,8 includes those three positions.
Look at the preview after entering your selection. It should show only the pages you intend to save.
Select Save, choose a suitable folder and give the new PDF a different filename.
A descriptive name is more useful than something vague such as "new document". For example, "Project report - selected pages.pdf" makes it easier to recognise the extract later.
Keeping a different filename prevents the new file from replacing the original in the same folder. You can then share the extract while retaining the complete document for reference.
This is the detail most likely to cause confusion. The number printed on a document page may not match its position within the PDF.
A report might begin with a cover and contents page before its printed numbering starts. The page labelled "1" could therefore be the third page in the file.
When choosing pages in Chrome, use the positions shown in the preview. Do not rely only on the numbers printed inside the document.
If you are unsure, identify the required content in the preview and check the selection before saving. That is quicker than sending the wrong extract and having to replace it afterwards.
Once saved, open the new PDF and review it as the recipient would.
Check that the first and last pages are correct and that no unrelated page has slipped into the selection. Make sure the extract still makes sense without the rest of the document. A table may need an explanatory note on the preceding page, for example.
If the selection is wrong, return to the original PDF and repeat the process with the correct page positions.
For confidential documents, inspect everything on the retained pages. Saving selected PDF pages is not the same as redacting names, contact details or other information within them. Use an approved redaction process when information on a necessary page must be removed.
If Chrome is still offering to print on paper, check the Destination setting. It needs to say Save as PDF before you save the extract.
If the wrong section appears, compare your page selection with the preview rather than the document's printed numbering.
If you cannot find the saved PDF, check the folder selected in the Save window. Giving the file a clear name also makes it easier to distinguish from the original.
Some protected PDFs restrict printing. If the document will not allow this process, ask the sender for an authorised extract rather than trying to bypass its restrictions.
Chrome's built-in method is useful because you can create an extract from a local document without uploading it to a separate PDF-processing website. That avoids introducing another service into the workflow merely to select a few pages.
You still need to use an appropriate sharing channel. A shorter file is not automatically safe to send to any recipient, and it should be handled according to your organisation's rules for confidential information.
If your team needs help with everyday document workflows and business technology, our Managed IT Services page explains how we can support more efficient working.
Open the PDF in Chrome, press Ctrl + P, choose Save as PDF, then select Custom pages. Enter the page positions, review the preview and save under a different filename.
That is all you need to save individual PDF pages while keeping the original intact. A brief check of the new file before sharing ensures the recipient gets the right information without the rest of the document.