PDFsam Basic is a free, open-source desktop tool for splitting, merging, rotating, mixing, and extracting pages from PDF documents. It suits anyone who needs to reorganize PDFs — assembling reports, pulling out chapters, or reordering scanned pages — without uploading files to a web service.
PDFsam Basic is a desktop application that splits, merges, rotates, mixes, and extracts pages from PDF files, giving you a fast way to rebuild documents that arrive in the wrong order or the wrong size. The workflow is consistent across every module: add files or drag page ranges from a visual document view, set the output options and naming pattern, then run the task and open the results folder. Because processing happens on your own machine with no upload step, large or confidential files never leave your computer, and there are no per-document limits or watermarks. It is free and open source, with no account required and no subscription tier.
PDFsam Basic covers the page-level work that most documents need: splitting a 400-page scan into chapters, merging signed forms into one file, rotating sideways pages, and alternating pages from two versions of a draft. The Split module handles every N pages, fixed page counts, bookmarks, and size limits, while the Extract module can turn each page into its own file. Merge lets you reorder files, exclude page ranges, and keep document bookmarks from the source files. For jobs that start from another format, a tool such as Bullzip PDF Printer can produce the initial PDF, which PDFsam Basic then reorganizes.
PDFsam Basic removes the usual friction from page-level PDF edits. Every task runs locally, so confidential contracts, medical records, and client files are never uploaded to a third-party server, and there is no file size ceiling to work around. The visual selector makes page ranges obvious: you click the boundaries you want and the selection updates instantly, which is far faster than counting pages by hand in a viewer. Batch handling means you can process dozens of files with one configuration and a consistent naming pattern, so output folders stay organized rather than filling up with copies named document(1).pdf. Modules stay focused — split, merge, mix, rotate, extract — so a job takes seconds without a learning curve, and results can be reviewed before you commit. Because the project is open source and free, small teams and students can standardize on it without per-seat costs. It handles password-protected PDFs when you supply the password, and it never alters your originals.
Key capabilities and highlights.
The Merge module combines any number of PDF documents into one file, with drag-and-drop ordering and page-range selection so you can include only the pages you need from each source. It is the quickest way to assemble scanned chapters, signed forms, and report sections into a single deliverable.
Split offers several strategies in one place: every N pages, fixed chunks of a chosen page count, split at document bookmarks, or split once the output exceeds a maximum file size. This suits chapter-based books, scanned bundles, and archives that need to fit under a mail attachment limit.
The Extract module pulls chosen pages into a new document, or writes each page out as its own separate file when you need individual pages for review, signing, or archiving. Page ranges can be typed in standard notation or picked visually from page thumbnails.
Rotate corrects pages that scanned sideways, applying 90, 180, or 270 degree turns to the whole document, a typed page range, or a hand-picked selection. Mixed-orientation scans and landscape inserts can be normalized in one pass before the file is published or printed.
The Mix module combines two or more PDFs into one by alternating pages between them or by following a custom page sequence. It is useful for interleaving front and back sides after duplex scanning, or for merging two differently ordered versions of the same report.
Instead of typing ranges and guessing, the visual selector renders page thumbnails where you click boundaries to define splits, extractions, and exclusions. Selections highlight immediately, so you can confirm exactly which pages move where before the task runs and nothing is changed by surprise.
Every operation runs on your own computer and works without an internet connection, so confidential documents are never uploaded to a remote service. Password-protected files can be opened when you supply the password, and your original PDFs stay untouched while results are written as new files.
Whole folders of PDFs can be processed in a single run, and each module lets you choose an output directory plus a naming pattern for the generated documents. That keeps batch jobs predictable, with dozens of files coming out consistently named in the folder you selected instead of scattered duplicates.
Browse historical releases and previous builds.
Common questions about PDFsam Basic.
PDFsam Basic splits, merges, mixes, rotates, and extracts pages from PDF documents. It handles page-level tasks such as dividing a large file by bookmarks or size, combining several PDFs into one, alternating pages between two documents, and pulling selected pages into a new file.
Yes. PDFsam Basic is a free, open-source application, and its split, merge, mix, rotate, and extract modules cost nothing to use. There is no subscription, no watermark added to your files, and no page limit on the documents you work with.
No. Everything is processed locally on your computer and the application works without an internet connection, so your files stay on your machine. That makes it suitable for confidential contracts, records, and internal documents that should not leave your network.
Yes. The Split module can divide a document at each bookmark, which is handy for chapter-based books and reports. The same module also splits by a fixed number of pages, by chosen page intervals, or automatically when the output exceeds a size you specify.
Yes. The Rotate module applies 90, 180, or 270 degree rotations to the entire document, to a page range you type, or to pages you select visually, so sideways scans and landscape inserts can be corrected without disturbing pages that are already upright.
It can open encrypted PDFs once you supply the correct password, and the results are saved as new files. If you do not know the password, the document cannot be loaded for splitting, merging, rotation, or extraction.
PDFsam Basic is a free, open-source desktop tool for splitting, merging, rotating, mixing, and extracting pages from PDF documents. It suits anyone who needs to reorganize PDFs — assembling reports, pulling out chapters, or reordering scanned pages — without uploading files to a web service.
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