Two-Column Paper Reflow
Split each page of a two-column PDF into two pages, one per column, in reading order: left first, or right first for Arabic. Runs in your browser.
About This Tool
Two-Column Paper Reflow cuts every page of a PDF into two narrower pages: one shows the left part of the page and the other shows the right part. On a phone or an e-reader you can then read one column at a time and scroll down, instead of zooming in and dragging from side to side.
The tool does not analyze the layout or move any text. The cut is one straight vertical line, at the same place on every page, set with the Middle Gutter Offset Ratio slider (40% to 60% of the page width, starting at 50%). Anything that spans both columns, such as a title, a wide figure or a table, is cut in two. Column read first decides the order of the two halves: left first for English, right first for Arabic and Hebrew.
Pages are copied and cropped, not turned into pictures, so text stays text. Each new page still contains the whole original page, with the other half hidden. Everything happens in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to Use
Upload the PDF
Choose one PDF whose pages are set in two columns.
Set the cut and the order
Leave "Middle Gutter Offset Ratio" at 50% when the gap between the columns is in the middle of the page; otherwise move it toward 40% or 60%. Under "Column read first" choose the left or the right column. On the Arabic site it starts on the right column.
Split and download
Click "Split into single columns", then "Download". The picture on the page is only an illustration, so open the file to check the cut. To try another setting, change it and click the button again.
Use Cases
Papers on an e-reader
Split a two-column article so that one column at a time fits the screen of an e-reader or a small tablet.
Reading on a phone
Read one column per page and scroll down, rather than zooming in and panning across every page.
Scanned book spreads
Turn a scan that shows two book pages side by side into one page each. Choose the right column first for Arabic books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to titles, wide figures and tables?
They are cut along the same vertical line as everything else, so part of them ends up on each of the two pages. The tool does not detect them. Pages with a single column, such as a cover page, are split as well: every page is cut, and there is no way to leave pages out.
Is the text still sharp and selectable?
Yes. Pages are copied and cropped, not converted to images, so text remains text. The half you do not see is hidden, not removed: it is still inside the file. Bookmarks of the original file are not carried over to the new one.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Yes. It only crops pages, so it does not need text. But the cut is one straight line for the whole file: crooked scans, or pages where the gap sits in a different place, will not split cleanly. Pages that are stored with a rotation are not split correctly either.