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✂️ How to Extract, Delete or Rotate Pages in a PDF

By the MZScan team · Updated 10 October 2026 · 3 min read

A PDF often contains pages you do not want to share: a blank page, a cover sheet, private details, or a chapter that is not relevant. Another common problem is a scanned page that opens sideways. Both can be fixed in your browser in under a minute.

Extract or delete pages

Extracting means keeping only some pages. Deleting means removing some pages and keeping the rest. Both use the same page-number box in PDF Tools.

1. Choose your PDF in the Extract or delete pages card.
2. Type the page numbers. Use commas for separate pages and a dash for a range.
3. Choose Keep only these pages or Delete these pages.
4. Press Download.

Page range examples

• 1-3,5 means pages 1, 2, 3 and 5.
• 2 means only page 2.
• 4-10 means pages 4 through 10.

Example: to remove a cover page and a blank last page from a 12-page file, choose Delete these pages and type 1,12. To send only the first two pages, choose Keep only these pages and type 1-2.

Rotate pages

1. Choose the PDF in the Rotate all pages card.
2. Select 90° right, 180° or 90° left.
3. Press Download.

The rotation is applied to all pages. If only one or two pages are sideways, extract them, rotate them, and then merge the file back together with Merge PDFs.

Check the result

Open the new file and scroll through it. Confirm the numbering: after you delete page 3, the old page 4 becomes the new page 3. If you plan to delete several ranges, do it in one go by listing all numbers, so the numbering of the original file stays valid.

Protect private information

If a page contains details you do not want to share, remove the whole page rather than covering it. Hidden or covered text can still be present in a PDF, and deleting the page is the safest option.

Real-life examples

• A 20-page scanned contract where you only need to send the signature page. Keep only that page.
• A downloaded e-book where the first two pages are adverts. Delete pages 1 and 2.
• A scan where every page came out sideways. Rotate by 90 degrees right or left.
• A bank statement where only the first page is needed for an application. Keep page 1.

A simple workflow for tricky files

When a file needs several fixes, work in this order: first delete the pages you do not need, then rotate if required, and finally merge with other documents. Doing the deletion first means you do not waste time rotating pages that will be removed. Always save the result with a new name so your original stays untouched.

Common mistakes

• Typing page numbers from a different numbering than the PDF uses. The tool counts pages from 1 at the start of the file, regardless of the printed page numbers.
• Choosing "Keep only these pages" when you meant "Delete these pages", which gives you the opposite result. Check the drop-down before you press Download.
• Leaving spaces or unusual separators in the page list. Use commas and dashes only.

Privacy

All of this happens inside your browser. The file stays on your device.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rotate just one page?
The rotate tool turns all pages. Extract the page, rotate it, and merge it back for a single-page fix.

Can I reorder pages?
Extract pages in separate files and merge them in the order you want.

Will my original file change?
No. You always download a new file, and the original stays as it was.

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