pdfviz

Crop a PDF

or drop one here
Choose a PDF file first.

Trim the visible margins from one page or the whole PDF without redrawing its content. Enter the percentage to remove from the top, right, bottom and left edges, and the preview shows the visible page after the crop. Undo and Redo step through every change. The result keeps selectable text and is reopened to check every crop box before download. Everything runs in this browser tab, with no upload to any server.

How to crop a PDF in your browser

  1. Choose the PDF

    Press Choose a PDF, or drop the file on the page. The PDF is read and its page preview is drawn in this browser tab. Your file is never uploaded; no account.

  2. Choose one page or all pages

    Move through the pages, then apply each margin change to the page in view or to the whole document. Undo and Redo step through every change.

  3. Set the crop margins

    Enter the percentage to trim from the top, right, bottom and left edges. The preview shows the visible page after the crop, so you can judge the result before downloading.

  4. Read the verification, then download

    The output is opened again. Page count, selectable text and crop boxes must match the requested changes before the download appears. A failed result is not offered.

Cropping hides margins instead of deleting them

A crop box tells a PDF reader which part of a page to show. The words, pictures and marks outside that box stay in the file. That preserves page quality and selectable text, but it also means cropping is not a privacy tool. Content outside the crop box can be revealed by any reader that ignores it.

Use the page preview to check wide tables, page numbers and footnotes before download. Pages from different sources can have different sizes, so one margin setting may not fit them all. Apply a crop to one page first, check the preview, then decide whether to apply it to every page.

When content must be permanently removed rather than hidden from view, use Redact PDF. Redaction destroys the underlying content stream, not just the visible area. Cropping is for layout and presentation, not for security.

Where Crop PDF fits and when to use it

This is a free online PDF editor for one job: the visible page edge. It runs in this browser tab with no account needed and no daily cap, and your file is never uploaded. It moves the crop box rather than rewriting the content, so text stays selectable and searchable after the crop.

Cropping earns its place on scans and on slides. A scanner leaves a dark border and a few centimetres of empty glass around a page that was smaller than the platen. A slide deck exported to PDF carries a wide margin that wastes half the sheet when printed. Both are fixed by removing a percentage from each edge, and both are easier to judge from the preview than from a measurement.

The percentages apply to one page or to every page, and Undo and Redo step back through each change, so a crop that took too much is one click from being restored. To straighten a page before cropping it, use Rotate PDF. To put several cropped pages on one sheet, use Multiple pages per sheet. Before sending a cropped document to a printer, Print preflight checks bleed and image resolution against the job you name. To crop and compress in one workflow, crop first, then run the result through Compress PDF.

Real-world use cases for cropping a PDF

Removing scanner borders. A scanner captures the platen edge around a smaller page, leaving a dark border. Crop 5% to 10% from each edge to remove it. The preview shows the result before you download.

Trimming slide deck margins for printing. Presentation slides exported to PDF waste paper with wide margins. Crop the edges, then use N-up and booklet to fit multiple slides per sheet for handouts.

Cropping screenshots and diagrams. A full-page screenshot or diagram has extra whitespace around the content. Crop the margins to focus on the subject. Pair with PDF to PNG if you need an image output instead.

Preparing documents for binding. A document going to print and binding needs different margins on odd and even pages. Crop each page individually to set the right gutter. Run through Print preflight before sending to press.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the PDF leave this browser tab?
No. The preview, crop changes, verification and download all run in this browser tab via WebAssembly. No part of the PDF is uploaded to any server, and no account is required.
Does cropping delete page content?
No. Cropping changes the PDF crop box, which tells viewers what part of the page to show. The hidden content remains in the file and can be revealed. Use Redact PDF when content must be permanently destroyed.
Can I crop every page at once?
Yes. Choose All pages before changing a margin. If pages already have separate changes, undo or reset those changes before applying one crop to every page. The same percentage applies across different page sizes.
Does cropping turn the PDF into pictures?
No. The tool changes page crop boxes without redrawing page content. Selectable text stays selectable and searchable. A search still finds every word at the same coordinates.
Is cropping suitable for removing private content?
No. Content outside a crop box remains in the file and can be revealed by any reader that ignores the crop box. Use Redact PDF when content must be permanently removed from the file.
What does the crop verification check cover?
It opens the result again and checks every page, at least 98% text retention, and the exact crop box written for each page. A failed result is not offered for download.
Can I crop and rotate at the same time?
Yes. Both controls are on the same page. Set the rotation first, then the crop margins, or vice versa. Each change applies to the current page or all pages depending on the scope you choose. Use Rotate PDF if you need rotation without cropping.
Is there a limit on file size or usage?
No. No account, no usage counter in the tool. The practical ceiling is the memory of your browser tab. You can crop as many files as you want, with no watermark on the output.

The other pdfviz tools

They all run in a browser tab like this one. Each reads its own output back and checks it before offering the download, and none of them needs an account.

Where to go next