Compress PDF
Make scanned and image-heavy PDFs smaller, so they're easier to email and upload. Compression happens in your browser, so your file never leaves your device. Free, with no sign-up.
or drop it here. It stays on your device.
This works best on scanned documents and PDFs full of photos. Each page is turned into an image, so text in the compressed file can't be selected or searched.
How to compress a PDF
- Press Choose a PDF, or drop your file on the box.
- Pick a compression level. Balanced is a good start.
- Press Compress PDF and compare the sizes.
- If it's smaller, download it. If not, keep your original.
When compression helps most
- Scanned documents, like signed forms, ID documents or old paperwork.
- PDFs made from phone photos.
- Brochures and reports full of large images.
- Uploads to portals with strict size limits.
When it won't help
PDFs made straight from a word processor or an invoice tool are mostly text, and text is already very compact. Turning those pages into images usually makes them bigger, not smaller. The tool checks this and tells you when to keep your original.
More PDF tools
Combine several files into one with Merge PDF. Both tools work entirely in your browser.
Questions
- Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
- No. The PDF is compressed inside your browser on your own device and never sent to our servers.
- How much smaller will my PDF get?
- It depends on the file. Scans and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink a lot. PDFs that are mostly text are usually small already and may not shrink at all. If the result isn't smaller, we tell you to keep your original.
- Why can't I select the text after compressing?
- To shrink the file, each page is turned into a compressed image. That means text in the new file can't be selected, copied or searched. Keep your original if you need that.
- Which setting should I choose?
- Balanced suits most documents. Use Smallest file when a website has a strict upload size limit, and Sharper when small print needs to stay easy to read.
- Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
- Not without the password. Remove the password first, then compress the unlocked copy.
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