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How to crop PDF pages and trim margins

Last updated: 1 November 2026

To crop a PDF, open it in Crop PDF and drag the frame around the area you want to keep. You can also type the margins in percent or click “Detect white margins”. Then choose all pages or only the current one, click “Crop PDF” and download the result. The cropping happens in your browser, and you don't need an account.

This guide is for anyone who wants to remove wide white margins, scanner borders, headers and footers, or everything except one table or picture. Cropped pages are easier to read on a phone or e-reader and look tidier when printed.

One important limit: cropping hides the area outside the frame but does not erase it from the file. Do not use it to remove confidential information.

Open Crop PDF

Step by step

  1. Open the crop tool. Go to Crop PDF in your browser. It is free and needs no sign-up.
  2. Select your PDF. Click “Select PDF file” or drop a PDF onto the page. The first page appears with a crop frame. If the file is password-protected, enter the password when asked.
  3. Set the area to keep. Drag the frame or its handles over the part of the page you want, or type the margins in percent if you prefer exact values.
  4. Try automatic detection. Click “Detect white margins” to place the frame around the text and pictures on the current page, with a small border.
  5. Check the other pages. Use the arrows to look at other pages and make sure the frame does not cut off any content.
  6. Choose the pages. Apply the crop to all pages, or pick “This page only” to crop just the page you are looking at.
  7. Crop and download. Click “Crop PDF”, then “Download” to save the cropped file.

Cropping hides content, it does not delete it

Like most PDF editors, Crop PDF only changes the visible area of each page. The text, images and anything else outside the frame stay inside the file, and someone could make them visible again.

  • Do not crop away names, account numbers, signatures or other private details and then share the file as if they were gone.
  • Do not rely on cropping to hide comments, stamps or notes in the margins.
  • Do use cropping to change how the page looks: tidier printing, easier reading on small screens, or a cleaner figure for a report.

Tips for a clean crop

  • “Detect white margins” looks only at the page on screen. Before you crop all pages, use the arrows to check that the frame fits the others too.
  • On a phone, drag the frame with your finger. If precise dragging is hard on a small screen, type the margins in percent instead.
  • If a page is sideways or upside down, turn it first with Rotate PDF so the frame lines up with the content.
  • If only one page needs trimming, such as a scanned receipt, go to it with the arrows and choose “This page only”.
  • Preview the result before you click “Crop PDF”, especially when the content sits close to the edges.

When cropping is useful

  • Printing slides or e-books without huge margins.
  • Cutting a receipt out of a full-page scan.
  • Removing scanner borders, headers and footers.
  • Keeping only one table or picture to prepare a figure for a report.
  • Making pages easier to read on a phone or e-reader.

Common problems

Content is cut off on some pages: the automatic frame was set from a single page. Adjust the frame by hand or check each page before cropping all of them. The page is turned the wrong way: fix the orientation with Rotate PDF, then crop. The file asks for a password: enter it. The cropped PDF keeps the same password as the original.

Tools used in this guide

Frequently asked questions

Is the content outside the crop area deleted?

No. Crop PDF hides the area outside the frame, but it is still in the file and could be made visible again. Don't use cropping to remove confidential information.

Can I crop just one page?

Yes. Go to that page with the arrows, set the frame and choose “This page only” before you click “Crop PDF”.

Does cropping reduce the quality?

No. Text and images are not re-compressed. Only the visible area of the page changes, so the text stays sharp and searchable.

How does “Detect white margins” work?

It looks at the page on screen, finds where the text and pictures are, and sets the frame around them with a small border. Check the frame on other pages before you crop all of them.

Can I crop a password-protected PDF?

Yes. Enter the password when asked. The cropped PDF is protected with the same password as the original.

Can I crop a PDF on my phone, and is my file uploaded?

Yes, you can crop on a phone. Drag the frame with your finger or type the margins in percent. Your own browser crops the PDF, and the file is never uploaded to a server, even on mobile data.

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