Extracting pages from a PDF with Acrobat XI

Learn how to extract pages and how to merge PDF into one document.

By Claudia McCue – October 24, 2013

 



In this tutorial, learn how to extract pages from one document and combine PDF in a separate PDF in Acrobat XI. One method uses the Page Thumbnails panel dropdown menu and the second is by selecting the specific page thumbnails.



Products covered:

Acrobat XI

Related topics:

Edit PDFs, Combine Files

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14 comments

Comments for this tutorial are now closed.

Duda

5, 2016-03-08 08, 2016

When I try to delete pages or insert pages is says Bad parameter. WHat does that mean?

Manikandan M

7, 2016-03-02 02, 2016

Click ‘Page Thumbnail’ and then ‘Right Click’ on the page of your interest where you can find the options like insert, extract, replace, delete, etc..

Gr

7, 2015-07-18 18, 2015

As some one said it is not possible to follow someone’s instructions without having paid to PDF, but i found a shortcut, Just click on the left side Document button, click on it, U will get all pages, just select them, U can see a “option” button, click on it, Print pages, CLICK ON PRINT(make sure u turn off printer), then you will get a printing process window, let that go, once it is completed IT WILL GIVE YOU AN OPTION TO SAVE…those are your desired pages, So just save them where ever U want,,,that’s it

Lori Kassuba

12, 2015-04-23 23, 2015

Hi Ms. Fortier,

The Extract and Split feature are part of Acrobat and not the free Reader.

Thanks,
Lori

Ms. Fortier

3, 2015-04-20 20, 2015

There is no EXTRACT button and there is NO SPLIT screen option. this is just a ploy by the company to get people to upgrade to a PAID service.

Lori Kassuba

4, 2015-03-19 19, 2015

Hi cherie,

Try doing a Save As of the original file and then extract the pages. Or see if dragging the pages from the Pages Thumbnail pane (Windows) works for you.

Thanks,
Lori

cherie

9, 2015-03-12 12, 2015

When I extract the page its says ‘BAD PARAMETER’, what does it mean? I cannot extract the page.. please help!!!

Lori Kassuba

8, 2015-02-11 11, 2015

Hi glorian,

You’ll need Acrobat to do this and not just the free Reader.

Thanks,
Lori

Lori Kassuba

6, 2015-02-11 11, 2015

Hi Andy Parker,

In the Combine Files dialog, flip over to the List View. Here you find a Page Range field where you can enter the pages. I believe there is a maximum number you can enter but I just tried it with 21 non-sequential pages without any problems.

Thanks,
Lori

Andy Parker

8, 2015-02-06 06, 2015

I’m trying to extract a specific list of 20-some pages (i.e.101,127, 235,245,...) from a 930 page original. I can key in a list of page numbers into Adobe PDF printer, but that generates a raster PDF and all my text is flattened out. I can extract all 20 pages individually and then combine them, or delete pages from the end, forward skipping the target pages, but I’d rather just cut and paste the page number list.

Lori Kassuba

6, 2015-02-03 03, 2015

Hi Souha,

You need Acrobat and not just the free Reader in order to insert/delete pages using the Page Thumbnails navigation pane.

Thanks,
Lori

glorian

9, 2015-02-02 02, 2015

Hi
I don’t have the option to extract!
when I go to my thumbnail it just says print, enlarge

Souha

4, 2015-01-30 30, 2015

Hi, is this the right version to where there is a document tab u can insert, delete, extract pages in PDF??? U have a full command options like reducing file size??
Plz help

Lori Kassuba

4, 2015-01-27 27, 2015

Hi Yatsunenko Iwan,

You can use the Split command under the Pages panel to extract pages based on their bookmarks.

Thanks,
Lori

Yatsunenko Iwan

4, 2015-01-22 22, 2015

Hi, Lory. I really like the Adobe Editor for the clarity of tasks and the best result. Function merge files pleased with the addition of Bookmarks. Is there any way to reverse the steps to Extract?

Lori Kassuba

7, 2015-01-05 05, 2015

Hi Craig Riches,

You might want to check out the other two workarounds mentioned in this article:
http://alltamedia.com/2014/06/30/extracting-non-sequential-pages-from-a-pdf-file/

Thanks,
Lori

Craig Riches

5, 2014-12-30 30, 2014

Hi Lori - so what you are saying is that, this is possible by using Acrobat Pro in Windows but not in Mac? Also, disappointing that there is no consistency between platforms and functionality then.
:(

Lori Kassuba

3, 2014-12-30 30, 2014

Hi CharlesinSumter,

When you use the Split command there is a button titled Output Options. Under this command you have the option to control the filename.

Thanks,
Lori

CharlesinSumter

4, 2014-12-19 19, 2014

I using the Split Tool in the Pages section.  You can add file name verbiage to your split file

Lori Kassuba

2, 2014-12-09 09, 2014

Hi Libor Spacek,

It’s not possible to do this automatically using the Page Thumbnails pane but you might be able to use JavaScript. Why don’t you try posting your question to our experts and be sure to select the JavaScript category:
https://answers.acrobatusers.com/AskQuestion.aspx

Thanks,
Lori

Libor Spacek

2, 2014-12-04 04, 2014

Hi, does anybody know, if there is possibility to select pages in accordance with the size?

Lori Kassuba

2, 2014-09-05 05, 2014

Hi Tony,

Yes, those features are part of the Standard version. Here is a link to a comparison of the features in Std. and Pro. for your reference:
https://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatstandard/buying-guide.html

Thanks,
Lori

Tony

3, 2014-09-01 01, 2014

Hi

Is the extraction functionality available in Acrobat XI standard?
I need to be able combine PDF pages, extract pages and edit pages, is Acrobat XI standard sufficient for this?

Thanks

Lori Kassuba

3, 2014-06-25 25, 2014

Hi Craig RIches,

If you’re running Acrobat in Windows, you can select the non-sequential pages and drag them to your Windows desktop. This will create a single PDF of the extracted pages. Or, you can use the Combine dialog and just delete the pages you don’t want.

Thanks,
Lori

Craig RIches

12, 2014-06-25 25, 2014

you mention in your video that for non-sequential pages you can just hold down CMD or CTRL and highlight the other pages you want. However, whilst it will highlight the pages as selected, when selecting Extract Pages it defaults to selecting every page in that range (even the ones you have missed out) so you cant select and extract non sequential pages using this method as far as i can see. Only sequential ones. This is crazy that Adobe has not built in the ability to do this! There is of course a work around by repeatedly selecting around the pages you dont want and then having to compile those selections later. Complete pain!

Lori Kassuba

7, 2014-05-30 30, 2014

Hi Valerie Robbins,

If you open the Pages Thumbnail navigation pane, you can just drag a thumbnail from one PDF to the other without using the extract command first. If you want to permanently remove the file from the first document, hold down the Ctrl key or Opt key on the Mac and drag into the other file.

Thanks,
Lori

Valerie Robbins

3, 2014-05-29 29, 2014

I have used this feature before but where it falls short is when I want to extract a page from one file and “paste” into another open pdf file without having to save it as a document first.  Having to save it, I then have to delete the other document after I import it into the second file. Time-consuming.

Lori Kassuba

6, 2014-05-28 28, 2014

Hi Sabine Cheneviere,

Page extraction has never been part of the free Adobe Reader.

Thanks,
Lori

Sabine Cheneviere

5, 2014-05-27 27, 2014

Not anymore in the classic free Acrobat reader….very bad change :-(

Lori Kassuba

1, 2014-05-09 09, 2014

Hi Jackie Hobbins,

This feature is only available in Acrobat and not the free Adobe Reader.

Thanks,
Lori

Jackie Hobbins

10, 2014-05-05 05, 2014

the only options I have in thumbnail are to print reduce or enlarge the size of thumbnails. I don’t have an option to extract pages

Comments for this tutorial are now closed.