How to use Compress PDF
- Select or drag your PDF file into the box.
- Pick a level: Light, Recommended, Strong or an exact Target size.
- Click Compress PDF and download your smaller file.
How does PDF compression work?
The tool keeps your text as real text and shrinks the photos and scans inside the PDF, then repacks the file more efficiently. Photo-heavy and scanned PDFs usually shrink by 50–90% on Recommended, while text stays sharp and selectable. Strong and very small target sizes may also save pages as images when that gives a much smaller file.
When should I compress a PDF?
Compress PDFs when an email bounces because of attachment size, when a job portal or government form has an upload limit like 1MB or 200KB, or when you want to save storage space on your phone or cloud drive.
Which compression level should I choose?
Light keeps pages sharp enough for printing and is best for documents you will print or zoom into. Recommended is the right choice for email and most upload forms. Strong creates the smallest files and is meant for strict limits such as 100KB or 200KB on government, exam and job portals; text stays readable but photos look softer.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
Text-only PDFs made in Word or Google Docs are usually already tiny. Compression helps most with scanned pages and photos. If the result would be larger, the tool keeps your original file.
How do I compress a PDF to under 1MB or 200KB?
Start with the Recommended level. If the result is still too big, try Strong. Strong compression lowers image resolution and quality to reach very small sizes.
Will the text in my PDF still be selectable?
Yes with Light and Recommended: text stays as real, selectable text and only images are compressed. Strong and very small target sizes may save pages as images when that is much smaller; the result tells you which method was used.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Everything is processed directly in your browser using JavaScript. Your files never leave your device, so they stay completely private.
Is this tool really free?
Yes. It is 100% free with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many times you use it.
Last updated: · Free to use, no sign-up.