Compress PDF
Reduce the size of PDFs with scans and photos so you can email or upload them. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Files never leave your deviceHow it works
- Add one or more PDF files.
- Choose the compression level: Balanced suits most documents.
- Download the smaller PDF.
Why are PDFs so large?
Most heavy PDFs are scans or documents with photos: each page is a big image saved at high resolution. Upload forms of government services, universities and job sites often accept only 2–5 MB, and email attachments are limited to about 20–25 MB.
How to choose the level
Balanced keeps text readable on screen and in print and usually cuts scans by 2–5 times. Strong gives the smallest file for sending by email or messenger. Light keeps the most detail for documents with small print, drawings or photos.
Questions
Will the text stay selectable?
Pages are saved again as images, so text can no longer be selected or searched. That’s fine for scans and forms to send; keep the original if you need to copy text. If compression doesn’t make a file smaller, you get the original back.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Everything runs in your browser with JavaScript, so your files are never sent anywhere. Once the page has loaded, the tool even works offline.
Is it free? Are there limits?
It’s free, with no sign-up and no watermarks. The only limit is your device’s memory: very large files can take a little longer on a phone.