A PDF crop tool lets you trim the visible area of each PDF page — removing large white margins, cutting to a specific region, or fitting content to a narrower display. Draw a crop area directly on the page preview, or enter precise margin values, then download the cropped PDF.
Upload PDF
Drop a PDF here or
Draw a crop area on the preview or enter margins below
Preview — Draw Crop Area
Click and drag on the page to draw the keep area. Release to set.
Crop Settings
Crop Area (points)
Or Remove Margins (points)
How to Crop a PDF Online
Cropping a PDF sets its visible boundary to a rectangular region, hiding content outside that area. This tool uses the PDF CropBox mechanism — the area you define becomes what viewers display, while the underlying content outside the crop remains in the file data. All processing runs in your browser with no server uploads.
Step 1: Upload Your PDF
Click "Browse File" or drag your PDF onto the drop zone. The first page renders in the preview canvas. Use the page navigation arrows to preview different pages before deciding on a crop area.
Step 2: Define the Crop Area
There are two ways to set the crop area. The visual method: click and drag directly on the page preview canvas to draw the rectangle you want to keep. The outside area dims as you draw. The manual method: enter precise margin values (top, right, bottom, left) in points, then click "Apply Margins" to calculate the crop coordinates. PDF points are 1/72 of an inch — a US Letter page is 612 × 792 points.
Step 3: Choose Which Pages to Crop
In the "Apply To" dropdown, choose All Pages (applies the same crop region to every page), Current Page Only, or Custom Range (for example, "1-3, 5" to crop only those specific pages). This is useful when only the first few pages need margin trimming, or when pages have different content areas.
Step 4: Download the Cropped PDF
Click "Crop & Download". The tool sets the CropBox on each selected page and saves the PDF. The resulting file will appear cropped in all standard PDF viewers including Adobe Reader, Chrome's PDF viewer, and macOS Preview. The actual page content is not deleted — the CropBox simply masks what is shown.
FAQ
Is this PDF crop tool free?
Yes — completely free with no account, signup, or file uploads required. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript.
Is my PDF kept private?
Yes. Your file never leaves your device. The entire crop operation runs locally in your browser tab.
How do I crop a PDF visually?
Upload your PDF, then click and drag on the preview canvas to draw the crop rectangle. The area outside your selection will be hidden when cropped. You can also use the margin input fields for precise control.
What is the difference between CropBox and MediaBox in a PDF?
The MediaBox defines the full page dimensions. The CropBox defines the visible area that PDF viewers display. Cropping sets the CropBox to your selected region, hiding the outside area without permanently removing it from the file.
Can I crop only specific pages?
Yes — choose 'All Pages' to apply the same crop to every page, 'Current Page Only' for just the displayed page, or enter a custom range like '1-3, 5' to crop specific pages.
Can I remove the crop later?
Not with this tool — once downloaded, the CropBox values are embedded in the PDF. However, because cropping sets the CropBox rather than erasing the MediaBox content, a PDF editor that exposes the MediaBox can restore the full page. For safety, keep a copy of the original.
Why would I crop a PDF?
Common uses include removing large white margins from scanned documents, trimming a wide-format PDF to standard paper size, cutting out a specific section of each page for presentations, or preparing PDFs for ebook readers that need tighter margins.