How to crop a PDF.

A black and white graphic showing a picture being cropped.

Looking to tidy up your PDF by trimming out extra content and giving it a more polished look? Cropping a PDF can make your document clearer and more focused. Luckily, it’s easy to crop a PDF using Adobe Acrobat. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to crop your PDF with both Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Acrobat online tools.

What you’ll learn.

If you want to know how to crop PDF pages on your iPhone or your laptop, this is the guide for you. After reading, you’ll know:

Why crop a PDF?

Cropping a PDF can improve both the appearance and effectiveness of a document, whether you're fine-tuning a business report, polishing a presentation, or organising a research paper. Here are some key reasons to crop your PDF:

  1. Remove unnecessary content: Cut out extra margins, headers, or footers that don’t contribute value. This keeps your PDF focused and easier to navigate.
  2. Enhance visual appeal: Remove distracting elements or irrelevant sections for a cleaner, more professional finish.
  3. Fit to specific sizes: Adjust your PDF to meet specific dimensions or formats for printing or digital sharing, so it’s just right for your needs.
  4. Highlight key information: By cropping out less important content, you ensure that the most crucial parts stand out, helping readers quickly find what they need.

How to crop a PDF using Adobe Acrobat.

Cropping pages in a PDF is a great way to refine your document and get it looking just the way you want. Here’s a quick guide to cropping pages in Adobe Acrobat on both Mac and Windows:

  1. Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
  2. At the top of the page, click Edit and then choose Crop pages from the toolbar on the left-hand side.
    Screenshot of the editing options for PDF files in Adobe Acrobat.
  3. Drag your pointer to create a rectangle around the area you want to keep. Adjust this rectangle until it is the right size, and all relevant information is included.
  4. Double-click inside the cropping shape to edit the margins and click OK when you're happy with the adjustments.
  5. You can then choose whether to apply the crop settings to just the selected page, all pages, or a specific range of pages.

How to crop a PDF using Adobe Acrobat on your iPhone.

Need to crop your PDF on the go? With the Adobe Acrobat app on your iPhone, you can quickly edit and crop your PDFs wherever you are:

  1. Open the Adobe Acrobat app on your iPhone and log in to your Adobe account.
  2. Locate and open the PDF file you want to crop.
  3. Tap on the Edit PDF option.
  4. Select the Crop tool from the available editing options.
  5. Adjust the cropping handles to frame the area you want to keep. Move and resize the handles as needed.
  6. Once you’re happy with the selection, tap Apply to crop the PDF.
  7. Save your changes and your cropped PDF is ready to go.

With Adobe Acrobat on your iPhone, you can refine your PDFs anytime, anywhere, ensuring your documents look just how you want them.

How to crop a PDF online.

Looking to adjust your PDF without downloading any software? The Adobe Acrobat online tool lets you crop your document directly in your browser. Just follow these steps:

  1. Click Select a file or drag and drop your PDF into the upload area.
  2. After uploading, sign in to your Adobe account to access the cropping tools.
  3. Acrobat will show the first page with a cropping border. Adjust the border by dragging its corners or edges to select the area you want to keep.
  4. Click Crop to apply the changes.
  5. Choose whether to crop just the current page, all pages, or a specific range by selecting All under Page Range.
  6. Click OK to save your cropped PDF.

FAQs.

Can I crop a PDF file on my iPhone?
Yes, you can crop a PDF on your iPhone using the Adobe Acrobat app. Simply log in to your Adobe account and you will be able to write, edit, comment, annotate, and crop your PDF file wherever you are. You can also use the Adobe Acrobat online tool for cropping if you prefer to work from a browser.
Does cropping a PDF reduce the file size?
When you crop your PDF, you will not change the file size. This is because you are hiding information on the document, rather than removing it entirely. To reduce the file size, you can use the Compress PDF online tool.
How do I uncrop a PDF file?
If you have cropped a PDF too much by mistake, you can easily ‘uncrop’ it in Adobe Acrobat. From the All Tools menu, select Print Production. From here, select Set Page Boxes and under Margin Controls, select Set to Zero. If you used an online tool, you can simply go back to the original, uncropped document you uploaded.
Can I crop multiple pages of a PDF at once?
Yes, with Adobe Acrobat, you can crop multiple pages simultaneously. After setting your crop area on one page, simply choose to apply the crop settings to all pages or a specific range of pages in your document.
Will cropping a PDF affect the content on the page?
Cropping a PDF only hides parts of the page but doesn’t delete any content. The hidden content remains in the file, and you can easily revert to the original layout if needed.