Compress PDF fileswithout uploading them
Make a PDF small enough for an email or an upload form. Choose how strong the compression should be, see the size before and after, and download the result. The work happens in your browser, so the document stays private.
- Free, no sign up
- Files never leave your device
- No watermark
How to compress a PDF
Step 01
Add your PDF
Drop one PDF on the area above, or click it to browse.
Step 02
Choose a level
Balanced is a good start. Pick a stronger level if the result is still too large.
Step 03
Press Compress PDF
Images are re-encoded and the structure of the file is tidied, while the text stays as it was.
Step 04
Compare and download
The size before and after is shown. Download the smaller file, or try another level.
What you get
Text stays selectable
The first three levels only recompress images and tidy the file. Text, fonts, links and forms are left untouched.
Four levels
From light compression that keeps images crisp, to a maximum level that turns pages into pictures for the smallest files.
Never makes it bigger
If compression would not save space, you are told so and the original is kept instead of handing you a larger file.
Private and free
No account, no watermark and no upload. Your document is compressed on your own device.
How the compression levels work
Most of the weight of a PDF is in its images. The Light, Balanced and Strong levels find the photos and scans inside the file, scale down the ones that are larger than needed and save them again as JPEG at a lower quality. The higher the level, the smaller the images become, and the more detail they lose.
The Maximum level works differently: it draws every page and stores it again as one JPEG image. That reaches the smallest sizes, also for documents made of vector graphics, but the text is no longer selectable or searchable and links stop working. Use it for files you only need to look at or print.
Some PDFs do not shrink. A document that is mostly text is already small, and black and white scans are often stored in a format that is already very compact. Images saved in print colors (CMYK) are left as they are, because converting them could shift their colors. In those cases the tool tells you that no space could be saved.
To reach a size limit, such as 2 MB for a form, start with Balanced, then try Strong, and keep Maximum for last. Always open the result before sending it to make sure it is still readable.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compress a PDF without losing quality?
Use the Light level. It keeps images at a high quality and removes what is wasted in the file structure. Quality always costs size, so each stronger level gives up some image detail for a smaller file.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what is inside. Documents full of photos or scans often shrink by more than half, while a PDF that is mostly text changes very little. The tool shows the exact size before and after.
Will the text still be selectable after compression?
Yes for Light, Balanced and Strong. Only the Maximum level turns pages into images, and it warns you before you use it.
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
The file is probably already efficient: mostly text, or scans stored in a compact black and white format. Try a stronger level. If even Maximum does not help, the file cannot be reduced much further.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server to be compressed?
No. The compression runs in your browser and the file never leaves your device. You can confirm it in the Network tab of your developer tools.
Can I compress to an exact size such as 1 MB?
Not to an exact size. Pick a level, check the result, and move to a stronger level if it is still above your limit. The levels are ordered from largest to smallest output.
Is this as strong as server based compressors?
Server tools based on Ghostscript can sometimes reach smaller sizes on complex vector documents. This tool focuses on images, which are the main weight of most PDFs, and in exchange it never needs to receive your file.