Compress PDF
Make your PDF smaller without uploading it anywhere. Pick a compression level and download a lighter file — ideal for email and scanned documents.
Drop a PDF to compress
or click to browse — best for scanned or image-heavy PDFs
Pick the file you want to shrink.
Balance file size against clarity.
Get a smaller PDF, built on your device.
How to compress a PDF
- Add your PDF. Drop it in or click to browse. Its current size is shown so you can compare afterwards.
- Choose a compression level. Balanced suits most files; Smallest file maximizes savings; High quality keeps the most detail.
- Compress and download. The smaller PDF is built right on your device, and you'll see exactly how much space you saved.
What compresses well — and what doesn't
This tool shrinks a PDF by re-rendering each page as an optimized image. That makes it excellent for scanned documents, photo- heavy reports and exported slides, which often drop by more than half. PDFs that are mostly plain text are already very compact, so they won't shrink much — and note that text in the output becomes part of the image, so it's no longer selectable. If you need searchable text, keep your original alongside the compressed copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. Compression happens entirely inside your browser. Your file never leaves your device — no upload, no privacy risk.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the file. Scanned documents and image-heavy PDFs often shrink by 50–80%. PDFs that are mostly text are already compact, so they compress much less.
How does the compression work?
Each page is re-rendered as an optimized image at the quality level you choose, then assembled into a new PDF. Lower levels use lower resolution and stronger image compression for a smaller file.
Will my text still be selectable after compressing?
No. Because pages are rebuilt as images, text becomes part of the image and can't be selected or searched in the output. If you need selectable text, keep the original.
Which level should I choose?
Start with 'Balanced' — it usually gives a big size reduction with great visual quality. Use 'Smallest file' for email limits, or 'High quality' when clarity matters most.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Not directly — you'll need to unlock it first. Damaged or encrypted files will show an error.