Cropping a PDF changes the page box: everything outside the crop is removed from view and from the saved page. That is the right fix for a wide scan margin, a screenshot with browser chrome, or a page that should start at the artwork rather than the paper edge.
It is not the same as resizing the paper. This guide covers the difference, the per-page options, and the check that stops a header or footer being clipped.
Step by step
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1
Upload your PDF
Drag your PDF onto the box or click Choose file. It is sent over an encrypted connection and only used for this task.
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2
Set the options
Adjust automatic, unit, crop area as json (left/bottom/right/top, pt) and odd pages area as json (pt). Every field has a sensible default, so you can usually run the tool straight away.
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3
Drag the crop box
Draw the box on the page, or let auto-detect find the content edge. The same box is applied to every page by default so the margins come out even.
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4
Run it and download
Press Crop PDF and the page shows progress while it works. When it finishes you get a download link — nothing is emailed and nothing is stored longer than it needs to be.
Crop changes the page, not the paper
A crop removes the area outside the rectangle. The page gets smaller; the content inside keeps its scale. Resizing, by contrast, changes the paper size and may scale or pad the content. Use crop when the content is right but the margins are wrong; use Resize PDF when the sheet size itself must change.
The original PDF is not modified. Download the cropped copy and keep the upload until you have checked the edges.
One crop, odd/even, or per page
Most documents want the same crop on every page. Scanned books often alternate: the inner margin is wider on odd pages than on even ones, so the odd/even mode mirrors the box. The page mode applies a crop only to the pages you list. Automatic trimming finds the white margins for you; manual boxes are better when the page contains a faint border or a deliberate blank area.
Units, margins and the safe area
Choose the unit before typing numbers — a 20-point margin and a 20-inch margin are very different crops. Leave a little breathing room around text and logos; a crop that touches the glyphs looks like a printing mistake. If the document will be printed, keep the content inside the printer’s safe area rather than at the absolute page edge.
Check the edges and the page count
Open the saved PDF and compare the first, last and a middle page with the original. Check a header, a footer and any page number near the edge. Confirm the page count did not change and that pages you did not intend to crop are untouched. If a page looks wrong, adjust the box rather than applying a second crop on top of the first.
Good habits for Crop PDF
- Page thumbnails are tap-friendly, so you can reorder and delete on a phone.
- Every tool works on a copy — your original file is never modified.
- Use Split by text when a document has no bookmarks to split on.
Common questions
Is this tool free?
Yes. Every tool on this site is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily task limit.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The tools run in your browser and are processed by this server.
What happens to my files?
They are stored under an unguessable id and swept automatically after a couple of hours. Nothing is shared or indexed.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The page pickers and editors are built for touch, so dragging, rotating and selecting pages all work without a mouse.
What does Crop PDF do exactly?
Trim PDF margins or change the visible page area.
Does cropping reduce the PDF file size?
It can, because the visible page area is smaller, but the embedded images may still carry their original pixels. Compress the cropped PDF if size is the actual goal.
Can I crop different pages differently?
Yes. Use the per-page mode for explicit pages, or odd/even for mirrored margins. Check the preview before saving.
Can I undo a crop?
The crop is applied to the downloaded copy. Re-open the original upload and crop again; the source has not been changed.