badloIs your PDF too big to email or upload to a form? Upload it, choose how small it should be, and download a lighter copy. You see the old and new sizes as soon as it's done.
How to use the Compress PDF
- Upload your PDF.
- Choose Smallest file, Balanced or Best quality.
- Your smaller PDF downloads, and the page shows how much you saved.
What to expect
Three quality levels
Smallest file brings pictures down to 96 DPI, Balanced to 150 DPI and Best quality to 220 DPI.
Text stays sharp
Compression works on the pictures in your PDF. Real text stays as text, so it remains crisp and searchable.
Never a bigger file
If a PDF can't be made any smaller, you get the original size back and the page tells you so.
Why some PDFs shrink more than others
Most of a large PDF's size usually comes from its pictures. Scanned pages and photo-heavy reports often shrink a lot, because each page is one or more images. A PDF that is mostly text is already small and may barely change, and one that was compressed before has little left to remove.
Which compression level to use
| Level | Picture sharpness | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Smallest file | 96 DPI | Upload limits and reading on a screen |
| Balanced | 150 DPI | Email and everyday sharing |
| Best quality | 220 DPI | Documents you may print |
If your PDF is still too big
- Try the next smaller level, starting again from your original file.
- Remove pages you don't need with Split PDF.
- Check the result before you send it, especially small print in scanned pages.
- Keep your original file, because lost picture detail can't be restored later.
If your PDF is over an upload limit
Forms for jobs, universities and government offices often set a small limit, and email services commonly stop at around 20 to 25 MB. Work through these steps in order, and check the new size on this page after each one. Our guide on how to reduce a PDF's file size covers this in more detail.
- Start with Balanced, then try Smallest file if you need more.
- Always go back to your original when trying a stronger level, as compressing twice can make pictures look worse.
- Take out pages nobody needs with Remove PDF Pages.
- If the file is huge because of photos, make them smaller first with Compress Image, and then rebuild the PDF.
What compression changes
| Part of the PDF | What happens |
|---|---|
| Photos and scanned pages | Rewritten at a lower sharpness and JPG quality, so they usually shrink the most |
| Text | Stays as text, so it remains sharp and searchable |
| Unused data left in the file | Cleared out, which helps files that have been edited many times |
| Page size and page count | Stay the same |
Frequently asked questions
How do I reduce the size of a PDF for free?
Upload the PDF on this page and choose a level. The smaller file downloads automatically, with no sign-up or payment.
Which level should I choose?
Balanced suits most documents. Use Smallest file when you have to meet an upload limit, and Best quality for anything you plan to print.
Can I compress a PDF to an exact size, such as 200 KB?
You can't type an exact size. Try Smallest file and check the result shown on the page. If it's still too big, use Split PDF to send fewer pages.
Is my PDF kept?
Your files are only used for the conversion and are deleted from the server afterwards.
Will compressing a PDF reduce its quality?
Pictures can lose some detail, most of all with Smallest file. Real text isn't affected.
Why didn't my PDF get smaller?
It may be mostly text, or it may already be compressed. In that case the page tells you the size hasn't changed.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
No. Remove the password with the owner's permission first.
Helpful guides
- How to Reduce a PDF's File SizeGet a PDF under an email or form limit, and find out what to do if it's still too big.
- PDF ka Size Kam Kaise Karein?Email aur online form ke liye PDF ko chhota karne ka aasan tareeqa.
- Scanned PDF vs Digital PDF: How to Tell the DifferenceA 10-second test to tell them apart, and why it decides what you can convert.
- How to Turn Phone Photos Into One PDFCombine photos of notes, IDs and receipts into one clean file, with no app needed.
