How to Crop a PDF
Scanned documents almost always come out with more white space than page. Books scanned two pages at a time need splitting down the middle. Reports carry headers and footers you do not want when the content goes somewhere else. All of these are cropping problems, and cropping a PDF is not the same as cropping an image — done properly, nothing is deleted or re-rendered at all. The page boundary simply moves, which is why this operation is completely lossless.
Upload your PDF
The first page is rendered as a preview so you can see exactly what the crop will remove.
Set the margins
Use a preset or drag the four sliders. Red shading shows what disappears; the dashed box is what remains.
Apply and download
Crop every page or just a selected range, then download - with text still fully selectable.
Why Cropping a PDF Is Lossless
A PDF page carries a rectangle called the MediaBox that defines its physical boundary, and a CropBoxthat defines the visible area. Cropping here changes those rectangles — the page content itself is untouched. Text stays as real selectable text, images keep their original resolution, fonts stay embedded, and nothing is re-compressed. It is the difference between moving a picture frame and taking scissors to the photograph.
There is one consequence worth knowing: because the content is not deleted, the file does not get meaningfully smaller. Everything that was there is still there, just outside the visible boundary. If your goal is a smaller file rather than a tidier page, run the result through our PDF compressor afterwards.
The same property means cropping is not a redaction tool. Content pushed outside the crop box is hidden from view but still present in the file, and anyone can restore it by widening the boundary again. Never use cropping to conceal sensitive information — that content must be genuinely removed, not merely hidden.
Common Situations This Tool Solves
Scans with enormous white margins
Scanners routinely leave several centimetres of blank paper around the content. Trimming it makes the document far more readable on a phone or tablet screen.
Splitting a two-page book scan
Books scanned open produce two pages in one. Run the file twice - once keeping the left half, once the right - then merge the results in reading order.
Removing headers and footers
Page numbers, confidentiality banners and running headers can all be trimmed away when the content is being reused elsewhere.
Fixing a badly aligned scan
When a scan sits off-centre, uneven margins straighten it up visually without any re-rendering or loss of quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I crop a PDF for free?
Upload it, set the four margins with the sliders or a preset, and download. Free, no signup, no watermark and completely lossless.
Does cropping reduce the quality?
No. Only the page boundary changes - the content is untouched. Text stays selectable, images keep their resolution, and nothing is re-compressed.
Why is my cropped file the same size?
Because nothing is deleted. The content outside the crop is still in the file, just not displayed. Run it through a PDF compressor if you need a smaller file.
Can I use cropping to hide confidential information?
No, and this matters. Cropped content is hidden but still present, and anyone can restore it by widening the boundary. Sensitive content must be genuinely removed.
Can I crop only some pages?
Yes. Choose Some pages and enter a range like 1-3, 7, 10-12. Everything else is left exactly as it was.
How do I split a two-page scan?
Crop once keeping the left half, then crop the original again keeping the right half, and merge the two files in the correct reading order.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The entire operation happens inside your browser - your document is never uploaded, stored or seen by anyone.
Will the text still be selectable?
Yes. Because nothing is re-rendered, text remains real text - selectable, searchable and copyable exactly as before.
Can I crop a password-protected PDF?
Not while it is encrypted. Remove the password in a reader you have the password for, then crop the unlocked file.
What does the red shading mean?
It shows what will be removed from view. The dashed green box is what remains as the new page boundary.
Can I undo a crop?
The output is a new file, so your original is untouched. And because cropping only moves the boundary, a cropped file can be widened again in a PDF editor.
Is this PDF cropper really free?
Completely free, with no page limits, no watermark, no signup and no premium wall. Everything runs in your browser.
Last updated: July 20, 2026 · FlipMyFormat PDF Cropper
Written and maintained by the FlipMyFormat team