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Compress PDF

Make a PDF smaller for email, WhatsApp and upload portals — free and on your device.

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Max 100 MB per file · PDF

    Compression

    Pages are saved as compressed images, so text in the result cannot be selected.

    Your file is ready!

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    Free No watermark No sign-up Files never uploaded
    Not much smaller?Already small or plain-text PDFs may not shrink — your original is returned.
    Fixed portal limit?Type a target size in KB.
    Need selectable text?Keep your original PDF too.

    Related Tools

    Compress PDF to 100KBReduce a PDF to under 100 KB for exam, job and government portals.Compress PDF to 1MBReduce a large PDF to under 1 MB.Compress PDF to 200KBReduce a PDF to under 200 KB while keeping it readable.Compress PDF to 500KBReduce a PDF to under 500 KB for email and multi-page uploads.Merge PDFCombine several PDFs into one document in any order.Split PDFSplit every page or custom page ranges into separate PDFs.Edit PDFAdd text and white-out mistakes directly on your PDF pages.Sign PDFDraw, type or upload your signature and place it anywhere.Rotate PDFRotate all pages or selected pages by 90°, 180° or 270°.Organize PDFChange the order of your PDF pages, or reverse them.

    How to use Compress PDF

    1. Select your PDFs.Choose the PDF that email, WhatsApp or a portal rejected.
    2. Choose the compression level.Pick a level, or type a target size in KB. Tick black & white for the smallest file.
    3. Click Compress PDF.If the copy is not smaller, your original is returned.
    4. Check the quality and the size.If it is still too big, try a stronger level.

    About Compress PDF

    Compress PDF rebuilds each page as a compressed picture, which can shrink large scanned PDFs, photo-heavy reports and phone scans a lot. Choose Recommended for good quality, Strong or Extreme for smaller files, or type an exact target size in KB.

    Because pages are saved as pictures, text in the compressed PDF cannot be selected or searched. Keep your original file if you still need to copy text from it.

    When is it useful? Use it when an email, a chat app or a website rejects your PDF because it is too big.

    Good to know: PDFs that are already small, or that contain only plain text, may not shrink much. If the compressed copy is not smaller, your original file is returned.

    Tips for Better Results

    • Try Recommended first; use Strong or Extreme only if the file is still too big.
    • Type a target size in KB if a portal has a fixed limit.
    • Keep the original — compressed pages are pictures without selectable text.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much smaller will my PDF get?
    Scans and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink a lot. Text-only PDFs that are already small may not shrink, and then the original is returned.
    Can I still copy text after compressing?
    No. Pages are saved as pictures, so the text cannot be selected. Keep the original if you need the text.
    Which level should I try first?
    Recommended. Use Strong or Extreme only if the file is still too big, or type a target size in KB.
    Does it work on mobile?
    Yes, but very large PDFs need a lot of memory and can be slow on low-cost phones.
    Works with: Email · WhatsApp · upload portals · most PDF viewers

    What converts well, and what doesn't

    SettingResult
    RecommendedTry this first
    Strong or ExtremeOnly if still too big
    Target size in KBFor fixed portal limits
    Compressed pagesPictures without selectable text
    Copy not smallerYour original is returned
    💡 Tip: Keep the original — compressed pages are pictures without selectable text.

    Common uses

    EmailFit attachment limits.
    WhatsAppSend PDFs faster.
    Upload portalsMeet size limits.
    ScansShrink big scans.
    ApplicationsUpload documents.
    StorageSave space.

    Is my file safe?

    Browser processing: your files are processed on your own device and are never uploaded to our server.

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    Guide

    Compress PDF: a complete guide

    Why PDFs become so large

    Most oversized PDFs come from scanning apps and phone cameras: every page is stored as a big, high-resolution photo. Reports full of pictures and slides exported to PDF are heavy for the same reason. A 20-page phone scan can easily be 30 MB — too big for email, chat apps and most upload portals.

    What happens when you compress

    Each page is drawn and saved again as a compressed picture, which removes most of the hidden weight. Choose Recommended for good quality, Strong for a smaller file, or Extreme for the smallest file. Or type an exact target size in KB, and the tool finds the best quality that fits. Ticking “Black & white” makes text documents much smaller and often sharper. The new size is shown before you download.

    What you should know before compressing

    Because pages become pictures, the text in the compressed PDF can no longer be selected, searched or copied, and links and form fields are removed. PDFs that are already small or contain only plain text may not shrink — in that case your original file is returned rather than a worse copy.

    Common problems and how to fix them

    Text became too blurry: use Recommended instead of Extreme, or tick Black & white, which keeps letters crisp at small sizes. The file still does not meet a portal limit: use the matching tool — Compress PDF to 100KB, 200KB, 500KB or 1MB — or split the PDF into parts. You need searchable text after compressing: run OCR PDF on the compressed file.

    Good habits

    Always keep your original PDF, zoom into the compressed copy to check small print and signatures, and remove unneeded pages with Delete PDF Pages before compressing — fewer pages means better quality at the same size.

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