How to use Crop PDF
Choose a PDF and enter the amounts to trim from the left, right, top and bottom. The result sets the visible crop box.
What the result contains
Cropping changes the visible area; it does not securely remove hidden content.
Practical tip
Use a copy when cropping confidential margins, and verify the output in a PDF viewer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account?
No account is needed to run this tool.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Crop PDF runs in your browser, so your file is processed on your own device and is not uploaded to our server. The page only downloads the free code libraries it needs.
Should I check the downloaded file?
Yes. Open the result and confirm its pages and content before sharing or deleting your original.
When to crop a PDF
- Scanner edges: remove dark borders and shadows around scanned pages.
- Wide margins: make text larger on a phone or e-reader by trimming empty space.
- Print-ready files: trim crop marks or extra space before printing a flyer or ticket.
- Images for slides: crop a page before turning it into a picture with PDF to JPG.
How much should I trim?
Margins are entered in points (pt), the standard PDF unit:
- 72 pt = 1 inch
- about 28 pt = 1 cm
- a US Letter page is 612 × 792 pt, an A4 page is about 595 × 842 pt
Start small, for example 20 to 36 pt on each side, check the result and adjust. The same margins are applied to every page.
Good to know before you crop
Cropping hides the area outside the new edges, but it does not delete it. Someone with PDF software could reveal it again. Never use cropping to hide private information such as account numbers or signatures.
Why crop with PDFCloudy
Simple number fields, no account and no upload. Your document is cropped on your own device.
More questions about cropping PDFs
Can I crop just one page?
The margins apply to every page. To crop one page, separate it first with Extract Pages.
Does cropping make the file smaller?
Usually not, because the hidden area is still in the file. To reduce the size, use Compress PDF.
I cropped too much. Can I undo it?
Your original file is not changed. Run the tool again on the original with smaller margins.
The page is sideways. Should I rotate first?
Yes. Rotate it with Rotate PDF first so that top, bottom, left and right mean what you expect.