PDF Remove Pages API - Delete PDF Pages and Clean Up Documents Instantly
Our PDF Remove Pages API allows you to delete unwanted pages from PDF files through a simple REST endpoint. Remove specific pages, clear out entire ranges, or eliminate even or odd pages with a single request. Whether you're cleaning up scanned documents, removing cover pages from reports, or stripping out unnecessary sections from contracts, our API handles page deletion while preserving the quality of your remaining content. Upload files directly or use File IDs to reference previously stored documents.
Ideal for document cleanup systems, automated report processors, legal document preparation, and content sanitization workflows. Delete page ranges from bulk documents, remove signature pages after processing, strip blank pages from scanned files, or eliminate draft sections from finalized reports. With asynchronous request processing and webhook support, you can seamlessly integrate PDF page removal into your automation pipelines.
Features
Asynchronous Processing
Upon successful request, our API immediately returns a 200 OK response with a unique Task ID, processing your file in the background. You can track the task progress via our Task Status API using the unique Task ID.Webhook Notifications
If you don't want to poll for task status, you can simply provide the webhook data in your request. Instead of manually checking status, we will automatically notify your endpoint the moment the task processing is completed.
Zero Data Retention
Your privacy matters. When you set thedestroy parameter, your files are permanently wiped from our servers immediately after processing finishes, ensuring complete data security. If destroy is not set, files are retained up to 30 days based on user's plan.No Quality Loss
Your remaining pages maintain perfect quality. All fonts, images, vector graphics, and formatting stay exactly as they were in the original file. No compression or degradation.
Flexible Page Removal
Remove pages from PDF files using individual page numbers, ranges, or special keywords. Delete specific pages like "1,5,10", remove ranges like "3-7", or use "even" and "odd" keywords to eliminate alternating pages instantly.
Batch Page Deletion
Delete multiple non-consecutive pages or ranges in one API call. Remove complex patterns like "1,3-5,10,15-20" efficiently without making multiple requests. Perfect for cleaning up documents with scattered unwanted content.
Large File Support
Handle heavy documents and high-resolution assets with ease. Our API supports a massive 1GB payload size per request, allowing you to process even the largest PDF files without worrying about size restrictions.
Need to quickly Remove Pages from PDF files in browser?
Select and delete unwanted pages to keep only the content you need.
API Endpoint
$ pip install requestsimport requests
url = "https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/remove-pages?pages=1%2C5%2C10&output=cleaned_document"
payload = {}
files=[
('file',('file.pdf',open('/path/to/file.pdf','rb'),'application/pdf'))
]
headers = {
'X-apiKey': 'API-KEY'
}
response = requests.request("POST", url, headers=headers, data=payload, files=files)
print(response.text)
Utility & Resource APIs
Use these endpoints to manage files and check task status.
Task Status API
task_id. The response includes creation and expiry timestamps to help you track result availability, along with specific error details if a task fails. Results are retained for up to 7 days, depending on the operation.File Status API
file_id. Returns details including file name, size, type, and creation/deletion timestamps. Generated or uploaded files are retained up to 30 days based on user's plan, unless destroy is enabled to delete them immediately. You can use this endpoint to check if the file has expired using its file_id.File Download API
PDF Delete API
Files List API
File Upload API
multipart/form-data request. Each file receives a unique file_id that can be used with the PDF APIs.Upload Binary API
file_id for uses with the PDF APIs.How-To-Guides
Removing Pages
Follow these steps to remove pages from PDF files using the API. The process involves uploading files, checking the task status, and downloading the result.
Step 1: Upload and Remove Pages
You can delete PDF pages by uploading a file directly (multipart upload) or referencing a file_id of a stored file. Remove specific pages, ranges, or use keywords for flexible page deletion.
# Standard Response { "taskId": "04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d", "inputIds": [ "7a9e4b12-f3c8-4d56-b7e1-8c2f9d0a3e6f" ] } # Response with destroy=true (No File IDs as they are deleted right away) { "taskId": "04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d" }curl -X POST "https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/remove-pages?pages=1,5,10&output=cleaned_document" \ -H "X-apikey: YOUR_API_KEY" \ -F "file=@/path/to/document.pdf"
Notes:
- The API accepts only one PDF file per request (multipart file takes priority over file_id)
- If your PDF is large, using the Upload Binary API ensures significantly faster transfer speeds.
- The
pagesparameter is required and specifies which pages to remove - Only ascending page ranges are allowed (e.g., 3-7, not 7-3)
- Keywords “even” and “odd” must be used alone, not mixed with page numbers
- Only “last” keyword can be combined with specific pages or ranges
- Use the
destroy=trueparameter to delete input file after removal completes (returns onlytaskId) - File IDs must reference valid, active files stored on the API Freaks server. You can verify if a file is still available using the File Status API
Step 2: Check Task Status
After submitting a page removal task, check its progress using the Task Status API with your taskId. The task goes through these statuses: queued, processing, completed, and failed.
# Response (completed) { "taskId": "04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d", "status": "completed", "createdAt": "2025-01-26 10:30:00", "outputUrls": [ "https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/resource/download?resource_id=9b2e7f3a-5c8d-4e1b-a6f9-0d3c8e7b2a5f" ], "outputFileId": [ "9b2e7f3a-5c8d-4e1b-a6f9-0d3c8e7b2a5f" ], "inputIds": [ "7a9e4b12-f3c8-4d56-b7e1-8c2f9d0a3e6f" ], "expiresAt": "2025-01-27 10:30:00" }curl -X GET "https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/task-status?task_id=04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d" \ -H "X-apikey: YOUR_API_KEY"
# Response (failed) { "taskId": "04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d", "status": "failed", "createdAt": "2025-01-26 10:30:00", "inputIds": [ "7a9e4b12-f3c8-4d56-b7e1-8c2f9d0a3e6f" ], "error": "Invalid PDF File", "message": "The provided file is not a valid PDF file.", "expiresAt": "2025-01-27 10:30:00" }curl -X GET "https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/task-status?task_id=04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d" \ -H "X-apikey: YOUR_API_KEY"
Step 3: Download Cleaned PDF
Once the task status shows “completed”, download your cleaned PDF using the File Download API with the outputFileId from the task status response.
curl -X GET "https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/resource/download?resource_id=9b2e7f3a-5c8d-4e1b-a6f9-0d3c8e7b2a5f" \ -H "X-apikey: YOUR_API_KEY" \ --output cleaned_document.pdf
Webhook Support
Get automatic notifications when your task completes instead of polling the task status endpoint. Good for event-driven applications and real-time document processing.
Add webhook_url to your request. We'll send a POST request to this URL when the task finishes (either completed or failed).
See the Complete Webhook Example section below for a full demonstration including custom authorization headers.
Webhook Delivery
Webhook delivery will be attempted up to 3 times. If all retries fail and webhook_failure_notification is enabled, we'll send an email notification to the requesting user or their organization admin.
Custom Authorization Header
Use X-Webhook-Authorization to add a custom header to webhook requests for endpoint security.
Format: Key:Value
Example: If you send Authorization:Bearer token123, the webhook request will include: Authorization: Bearer token123
See the Complete Webhook Example below for a full demonstration.
Complete Webhook Example
Here's a complete example showing webhook integration with custom authorization header and failure notifications:
# Response { "taskId": "04a06cd5-158d-4191-a45b-6f58249c599d", "inputIds": [ "566dc743-d8fe-4943-8cef-61e5d3d6096c" ] }curl -X 'POST' \ 'https://api.apifreaks.com/v1.0/pdf/remove-pages?webhook_url=https://yourdomain.com/webhook/pdf-remove-pages&webhook_failure_notification=true' \ -H 'X-apiKey: YOUR_API_KEY' \ -H 'X-Webhook-Authorization: Authorization:Bearer token123' \ -F 'file=@/path/to/document.pdf'
Webhook Request Format
When your task completes, we send a POST request to your webhook_url with these headers:
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
Content-Type | Always application/json |
X-Signature | HMAC-SHA256 signature of the request body using your API key. Use this to verify the payload is authentic. |
| Custom Header | (If provided) Your custom header from X-Webhook-Authorization |
Webhook Response
The webhook payload contains the same response structure as the Task Status API endpoint when checked for the task ID.
Verifying Webhook Authenticity
Use the X-Signature header to verify webhook requests actually came from API Freaks and weren't tampered with.
How the signature works:
- We compute an HMAC-SHA256 hash of the request body using your API key as the secret
- We Base64-encode the result
- We send this as the
X-Signatureheader value
To verify the webhook:
- Take the raw payload body (JSON string exactly as received without parsing it)
- Compute HMAC-SHA256 of the payload using your API key as the secret
- Base64-encode the result of the hash
- Compare with the
X-Signatureheader value
Important: Don't transform or process the raw request body before verification. Adding whitespace or other formatting creates a different signature and verification will fail.
Pricing
To use this API, API credits are required. Charges apply only for successful queries, defined by a 2xx status code. If a request results in a 4xx or 5xx status code, no credits will be deducted, and any credits already charged will be refunded. In the event of a Task Processing Error, a maximum of 200 credits will be refunded. Surcharges for additional file sizes are non-refundable.
For each successful request, 200 credits will be charged. 1 extra credit will be charged per MB beyond 50 MB.
Utilize the Credits Usage API to efficiently monitor your recent consumption of both one-off and subscription credits. This API provides a streamlined way to track and manage your credit usage, ensuring you stay informed about your remaining balance and can optimize your resource allocation effectively.