Extract Odd/Even Pages

Add a PDF file — or drag them here
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About this odd/even page extractor

Separating odd from even pages is the standard remedy for a single-sided scanner. Feed the stack once and you have all the fronts; flip it and feed it again and you have all the backs, usually in reverse. Being able to pull out just the odd or just the even pages is what lets you rebuild the document properly.

It is also how you print double-sided on a printer that cannot do it automatically: extract the odd pages, print them, put the paper back in the tray, then extract and print the even ones.

Pages are copied with pdf-lib rather than re-rendered, so both halves come out identical in quality to the source document.

The extraction runs in your browser. Neither the source document nor the extracted half is uploaded.

How to extract odd or even pages

  1. Load the PDF. Drop it onto the zone.
  2. Choose odd or even. Odd keeps pages 1, 3, 5 and so on; even keeps 2, 4, 6 and so on. The numbering is by position in the document, not by any number printed on the page.
  3. Apply. The selected pages are copied into a new document in their original order.
  4. Download. The result saves with an -edited suffix. Run the tool again with the other option to get the remaining half.

Manual duplex printing

  1. Extract the odd pages and print them, face down in the output tray.
  2. Reload the printed sheets into the paper tray. Which way round depends on your printer — test with three pages before committing to a hundred.
  3. Extract the even pages and print those onto the backs.

If your document has an odd number of pages, the last sheet has nothing on its back, which is normal. If the second pass comes out upside down, use Rotate PDF to turn the even-page file 180 degrees before printing it.

Frequently asked questions

Does “odd” mean the number printed on the page?

No. It means the page’s position in the document — the first page is odd, the second is even, and so on — regardless of any numbering printed on the pages themselves.

Can I get both halves at once?

Not in a single pass. Run the tool once for odd and once for even; the source document is unchanged either way.

Does extracting reduce quality?

No. Pages are copied as complete PDF objects, so text, fonts and vector graphics are preserved exactly.

How do I rebuild a document from two scanned halves?

Merge the odd and even files into one document, then use Reorder PDF to interleave the pages by dragging them into place. If the even half came out reversed, run Reverse PDF Pages on it first.

Can I extract an arbitrary set of pages instead?

Yes — use Split PDF in extract mode, where you pick individual pages from a thumbnail grid.

Is my file uploaded?

No. The extraction is performed by pdf-lib inside your browser.

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