I wanted several files but the split gave me only one. What did I do wrong?

Cause one: the mode

The mode selected when the tool opens is “Extract to one PDF”, and it gathers everything you type into a single PDF. Type 1-5, 6-10 there and you get one 10-page file, not two. Plenty of people type their ranges and press the button without glancing at the mode.

Cause two: a space instead of a comma

In “One PDF per range” it is the comma that starts a new file. A space between numbers means more pages in the same file. So 1-5 6-10 with no comma is read as one group holding pages 1 to 10, and you get one file. That behaviour is useful when you mean it, and confusing when you just forgot the comma.

Cause three: only one range

Even in “One PDF per range”, a single range such as 1-10 gives one file, because the number of files equals the number of groups. If you want every page as its own file, the right mode is “Every page separately”, where you do not type any numbers at all.

How to be sure before you press the button

1. Open Split PDF and choose the file.
2. Pick the mode that matches what you want: “One PDF per range” for several files with boundaries you choose, or “Every page separately”.
3. Type the ranges separated by commas.
4. Read the preview line under the field. If it says one PDF, you will get one file; if it says a ZIP with a number of files, that number is what you will get.
5. If the count is not what you expected, fix the mode or the commas, then press “Split and download”.

The Arabic comma works too

If your keyboard is set to Arabic, there is no need to switch: the tool accepts the Arabic comma as well as the English one, and Arabic-Indic digits as well as Western digits.