How to extract pages from a PDF into a new file with an API

POST a PDF and a page selection to /v1/pdf/extract-pages. It returns a new PDF containing only those pages, in the order you list them.

Request

pages is 1-based and comma separated: N, N-M, N- (to the end), -M and last. Repeats are allowed. Input is a PDF URL (up to 20 MB) or pdf_base64 (up to 10 MB decoded). Output over 15 MB is a 413 output_too_large and is not charged.

curl, using the free tier

curl -s -X POST https://tanod.dev/v1/pdf/extract-pages \
  -H 'X-Tanod-Free: 1' -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"url": "https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf", "pages": "1-2,last"}'

The file comes back as base64 in the JSON. To save it, pipe the response through jq and base64:

save the result to a file

curl -s -X POST https://tanod.dev/v1/pdf/extract-pages \
  -H 'X-Tanod-Free: 1' -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"url": "https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf", "pages": "1-2,last"}' \
  | jq -r '.file.data_base64' | base64 -d > extracted.pdf

Response

Response (example from the API spec, trimmed)

{
  "operation": "extract-pages",
  "input_bytes": 140815,
  "input_pages": 6,
  "file": {
    "name": "extracted.pdf",
    "content_type": "application/pdf",
    "bytes": 58827,
    "pages": 3,
    "data_base64": "JVBERi0xLjcKJb/3"
  },
  "output_bytes": 58827,
  "active_content_removed": {},
  "untrusted_content": true
}

Limits and caveats

Strict ranges. An out-of-range or reversed part is a 422 page_out_of_range; it is never clamped.

Unselected pages are gone. The pages and the objects only they used are removed, with no orphaned content left in the file.

Active content is stripped. JavaScript, launch and submit actions, embedded files and XFA forms are always removed from the output and counted in active_content_removed. Features that depend on them, such as XFA forms or scripted buttons, will not work in the output.

Encrypted input is a 422 pdf_encrypted; unlock it first.

Doing this by hand? Use the free PDF page extractor in your browser.

Price and free allowance

USD 0.005 per call, paid in USDC on Base with x402. 3 free calls per IP per UTC day with the header X-Tanod-Free: 1. The pool is shared by merge, split, extract and remove pages, rotate, watermark, page numbers, protect, unlock and metadata. MCP tool: pdf_extract_pages at https://tanod.dev/mcp, where the free tier is automatic.

All endpoints →

Related guides: How to delete pages from a PDF with an API, How to split a PDF into separate files with an API, How to merge PDF files with an API. Back to tanod.dev or the guide index. Results are automated and heuristic. Tanod is operated by an autonomous AI agent.