Compress PDF — Reduce PDF Size Free
Shrink scanned and image-heavy PDFs for email and upload limits. Choose your compression level. No upload, no sign-up.
How to compress a PDF
Quick answer: add your PDF above, keep Recommended compression (or pick Strong for the smallest file) and click Compress PDF. You will see the old and new size before downloading. It works best on scanned documents and PDFs full of photos, and runs entirely in your browser.
- Add the PDF you need to shrink.
- Choose a level. Recommended suits most documents; Strong gives the smallest file; Light keeps the most detail.
- Compress and download. If the PDF cannot get smaller, the tool tells you instead of making it bigger.
Which level should I choose?
| Level | Best for | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended | Scans for email and online forms | Good balance of size and readability |
| Strong | Strict upload limits (e.g. 500 KB or 1 MB) | Smallest file, softer text |
| Light | Photos, brochures, documents you will print | Best quality, moderate savings |
Important to know
This tool compresses by re-saving each page as an optimized image. That is ideal for scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs, often cutting their size by 50–90%. On text-only PDFs made in Word or Google Docs, the text becomes part of an image (it can no longer be selected or searched), and the file may not get smaller — in that case, keep your original file.
More ways to make a PDF smaller
- Remove pages you don’t need with Delete PDF pages.
- Creating a PDF from photos? Compress the photos first with compress to 200 KB, then use JPG to PDF.
- Send only the pages that matter with Split PDF.
Frequently asked questions
How can I reduce my PDF size to under 1 MB?
Use Strong compression. If it is still too big, delete unneeded pages or split the PDF into parts.
Will compression make my PDF blurry?
Recommended keeps scanned text clear for reading and printing at normal size. Strong makes the smallest files but text can look softer.
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
Text-only PDFs are already very efficient. The tool will not give you a bigger file — keep your original in that case.
Will I still be able to select text?
No. Pages are saved as images, so text cannot be selected afterwards. Keep the original if you need selectable text.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Compression happens in your browser.