How do I crop pages in Adobe Acrobat to adjust the PDF size?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to the Edit menu. Click Crop pages. Draw the area you want to keep. Apply the crop and save your file.

What does cropping a page in Acrobat actually do?

Cropping a page in Acrobat hides everything outside the area you select, but it does not really delete it. The hidden parts are still in the file and can be brought back later. Cropping is good for making a page look cleaner, but it is not the same as erasing data.

If my scan has big black borders, can cropping help make it look better?

Yes, cropping can hide the black borders so only the main part of your scan shows. This makes your PDF look cleaner and more professional.

Why is it important to sanitize after cropping in Acrobat?

It is important to sanitize after cropping because cropping only hides the parts you do not want, but does not delete them. If you share the PDF, someone could recover the hidden data. Sanitizing removes these hidden parts, making sure no one can see or restore them. This is very important if your document has private or sensitive information outside the crop area.

How is cropping in Acrobat different from resizing a page?

Cropping Resizing. Hides parts outside the crop box Changes the whole page size Content is still there, just hidden Content is adjusted to fit new size Can be undone May change layout or scale

◆ Acrobat · organize

Crop pages using an automated script or API

I’ve scanned three invoice pages, the purchase order, and the delivery note. Put them in order: [document=PO], invoice…

3ready prompts

1real task

See the prompt↓More organize workflows

AI prompts

3 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Show me code to crop all pages in a PDF using...…+

Show me code to crop all pages in a PDF using the Adobe PDF Services API with [language] and [crop settings].

when the reply comes backWant to batch crop multiple PDFs at once?

BImprove — “do it better”How can I make my PDF cropping script faster or...…+

How can I make my PDF cropping script faster or more reliable when using the Adobe PDF Services API?

when the reply comes backNeed help setting up authentication for the API?

CDecide — “help me choose”Should I use Adobe PDF Services API or another tool...…+

Should I use the Adobe PDF Services API or another tool to crop PDF pages in my project? Explain the pros and cons.

when the reply comes backCurious how to preview cropped results before saving?

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the PDF file you want to crop in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2
Press Ctrl+J (Windows) or Cmd+J (Mac) to open the JavaScript console.
3
Paste a JavaScript snippet that sets the crop box for the desired pages, such as: this.setPageBoxes('Crop', 0, this.numPages-1, [left, bottom, right, top]); replacing left, bottom, right, top with your crop coordinates in points.
Best practiceYou can use the Action Wizard to automate running JavaScript on multiple files for batch cropping.
4
Press Enter to execute the script and crop the pages.
5
Save the PDF to apply the changes.
CautionCropping with JavaScript only hides content outside the crop box; it does not delete it from the file.

In the appWith the API

You can use the JavaScript console or create an Action Wizard sequence to crop pages programmatically in Acrobat Pro.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

APIA way for different software to talk to each other automatically.ExampleAn online store uses an API to automatically send shipping details to a delivery service.

CropTo cut off the unwanted outer parts of an image.ExampleI will crop the photo to remove the distracting background elements.

AuthenticationHow you prove who you are when using an online service.ExampleEntering your password and a code from your phone provides authentication to access your bank account.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

Need to bundle mixed scans for vendor approval on tight deadline

FAQ

about this task

You send a request to the API with your PDF file and the crop settings you want. The API processes your file and returns a new PDF with the pages cropped as you specified.

Cropping cuts away parts of the page you don't want, while resizing changes the whole page's size. Cropping keeps the content the same size but shows less of it.

Yes, you can set the API to crop just specific pages by giving it the page numbers or a range, instead of cropping the whole document.

Using an API lets you crop many files automatically, saves time, and avoids mistakes that can happen when doing it by hand.

You need to set up credentials like an API key or OAuth token to prove your app is allowed to use the Adobe service. This keeps your files and account secure.

Crop pages using an automated script or API

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help