Crop PDF
Trim margins or cut a PDF page down to the area you need
At a glance
- Use this page to crop files quickly with a guided workflow.
- Accepted input: .pdf.
- Output: downloadable file generated in-browser for supported workflows.
- Upload Choose your file
- Process Runs locally
- Download Save result
Drop your file here
or tap to browse · accepts .pdf
Runs in your browser. No file uploads for supported tools.
Best on desktop for 100MB+ files · mobile recommended under ~100MB.
How local processing works
- Your PDF is processed in your browser using local JavaScript libraries.
- PDFWhisk does not upload your file to a processing server for supported tools.
- Only normal page assets load from the site (HTML/CSS/JS), not your document contents.
Selected files
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Security & privacy detailsHow this tool helps
Cropping a PDF trims away the parts of the page you don't want: wide white margins, a scanner's black border, printer marks, or everything except one table or diagram. Load your PDF and a preview of the first page appears with a crop box on top. Drag the box and its corners to the area you want to keep, or type exact margins as percentages for precise, repeatable results. Step through the pages to check the crop fits them all, then apply it to every page or only to the page shown. The cropped PDF keeps its text, links and vector graphics because pages are not turned into images, and the file is processed in your browser rather than uploaded. Use it when you need to turn sideways pages upright first, remove pages you don't need, compress the cropped PDF.
Best for
How it works
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1
Add your PDF
A preview of the first page appears with a crop box on top.
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2
Set the crop
Drag the box and its corners, or type exact margins. Use Next to check other pages.
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3
Crop and download
Apply to every page or just the one shown, then download the cropped PDF.
More files today? Free covers 3 tasks a day and files up to 50MB. For unlimited tasks and bigger files, Pro passes start at £1 for 24 hours. One-off payment, no subscription, and your files still stay on your device.
Cropping a PDF: practical guide
Cropping is simple, but a few details decide whether the result looks right on every page and whether it hides what you think it hides.
Crop, resize and fit-to-page are different things
Cropping changes which part of the page is visible; it does not stretch the content to fill a sheet of paper. A cropped page is smaller than A4, so when you print it, choose Fit to page (or Scale to fit) in the print dialogue if you want it enlarged to fill the sheet.
Scanned documents with dark borders
Flatbed and phone scans often include a black edge or part of the desk. Set the margins on the first page, then press Next to check a few more pages, because loose sheets shift slightly in a scanner. If one page is badly off, untick Apply to every page and crop that page on its own run.
Documents with different page sizes
Margins are percentages of each page, so the same setting adapts to A4, Letter and landscape pages in one file. If pages are rotated, the crop is matched to how the page looks on screen rather than how it is stored, so what you see in the preview is what you get.
Cropping does not delete anything
Content outside the crop box stays in the file and can be revealed again in a PDF editor. Never rely on cropping to remove bank details, signatures or personal information. Delete those pages instead, or rebuild the page without the sensitive part.
Before you upload/share
- Step through several pages with Next before you crop the whole file.
- Open the cropped PDF and print a test page if it is going on paper.
- Keep the original: cropping changes the page boxes, and a copy is the easiest way back.
Related guides
- How to Rotate Pages in a PDF (Fix Sideways or Upside Down Pages)
Scanned the wrong way? Portrait document saved as landscape? Here is how to rotate individual pages or an entire PDF in seconds, without any software.
- How to Remove Pages From a PDF for Free
Delete blank pages, cover pages, or any unwanted pages from a PDF without software. Works in any browser, nothing is uploaded to a server.
Frequently asked questions
How do I crop a PDF without Adobe Acrobat?
Open this page, add your PDF, drag the crop box over the area you want to keep and click Crop PDF. It runs in Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox on a computer or phone, with no account or software to install.
Can I crop all pages at once?
Yes. Apply to every page is ticked by default, so the same margins are trimmed from each page. Untick it to crop only the page shown in the preview.
How do I crop the white margins off a PDF?
Type the same value into the Left, Right, Top and Bottom boxes (try 5 to 10 percent) or drag the corners in until they sit just outside the text. Step through a few pages with Next to check nothing important is cut off.
Does cropping reduce the file size?
Usually not much. Cropping changes the visible area but keeps the page content, so the file stays about the same size. Run Compress PDF afterwards if you need a smaller file.
Is the cropped content deleted?
No. Content outside the crop box is hidden, not removed, and a PDF editor can still recover it. To share a page without sensitive details, delete those pages or black them out properly instead of cropping.
Can I crop a PDF on iPhone?
Yes. Open the page in Safari, choose the PDF from Files, and drag the corner handles with your finger. The Left, Right, Top and Bottom boxes are easier for fine adjustments on a small screen.
Will the text still be selectable after cropping?
Yes. Pages are not converted to images, so text stays searchable and selectable, links keep working and the quality is unchanged.
What to do next
Chain tools together for a complete workflow.