PDF tools
Compress a PDF without uploading it
For the scan that is too big for a job portal or the 30 MB brochure an email will not send. Pick a strength, drop the PDF and download a smaller copy.
Drop files here
or
PDF files. Several at once is fine.
Options
Files stay on this device
Three steps
- 1
Choose a strength
Balanced suits most documents. Use Strong when a portal has a hard size limit.
- 2
Add your PDFs
Drop one or several files on the page.
- 3
Download
Each compressed PDF ends in -compressed so the original is easy to tell apart.
How this PDF compressor works
Most of a large PDF's size comes from images: scanned pages, photos and full-page graphics. The compressor redraws every page as an image at a lower resolution and saves it with JPEG compression, which is what makes the file much smaller. Light renders pages at 144 dpi with high quality, Balanced at 108 dpi, and Strong at 72 dpi with heavier compression.
There is a trade-off: because each page becomes a picture, text in the result can no longer be selected, searched or copied. For a scan that makes no difference. For a text-based PDF such as a report exported from Word, keep the original if you need searchable text, and use the compressed copy for sending.
Tips
- If a file comes out bigger, it was already compact. The tool tells you instead of giving you a larger file.
- Start with Balanced and only switch to Strong if the result is still too large; small print stays more readable.
- Check the first page of the result before deleting anything. Keep the original until you are happy.
Frequently asked questions
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the content. Scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink a lot; PDFs that are mostly plain text may barely change, and in that case the tool tells you.
Why can't I select the text after compressing?
The compressor rebuilds each page as an image, which is what saves the space. Keep your original PDF if you need selectable or searchable text.
Can it compress a password-protected PDF?
No. Remove the password first, then compress the unlocked copy.
Is my document uploaded?
No. The PDF is read and rebuilt inside your browser, so it never reaches our servers.