Compress PDF
Set how you want to shrink the file, add your PDFs, then press Compress PDFs. Everything runs in your browser — compare sizes and download when you’re ready.
Keeps text sharp and selectable — good for forms and reports. The file may only get a little smaller.
Leave blank to use the strength buttons above. If you fill both, max MB is used. Targets can take longer.
Quick guide
- Choose a mode — Light cleanup is safest for text. “Smaller file” helps most with scanned or photo PDFs.
- Add PDFs — They stay on your computer until you compress.
- Click Compress PDFs — Wait for the size comparison, then download.
- Try again? — Change options and compress again; your files stay in the list until you remove them.
Light cleanup tidies the file but often saves only a little space. Smaller file redraws each page as a picture — much smaller for scans, but text may look softer and copy/paste can get worse. Skip “smaller file” for important contracts unless you’ve checked the preview.
Add at least one PDF, then click here. You can change options above and compress again without re-uploading.
Understanding PDF “compression”
PDFs can contain vector text, fonts, embedded images, and annotations. Structure only rewrites the file and strips metadata while keeping vectors — savings are often modest if the PDF was already optimized. Image-based redraws each page as a JPEG (using your chosen strength or a custom quality/detail level), which can shrink scans and photo-heavy PDFs a lot. Text may look softer and copy/search can degrade because pages become images.
Max output size (MB) and shrink by (%) run extra passes in image-based mode: quality is adjusted (and resolution reduced if needed) until the goal is met or the minimum safe quality is reached. For contracts and forms that must stay sharp, use structure-only or mild image-based presets. Always open the output and zoom before you delete the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will every PDF get smaller?
Usually, but a minimal PDF or one already optimized might barely shrink — especially in structure-only mode.
Is image-based compression lossless?
No — it uses lossy JPEG frames per page for smaller bytes.
Are files uploaded?
No — compression runs entirely in your browser.
Multiple PDFs?
Yes — each gets a row with size comparison and download; ZIP bundles all outputs.
Password-protected PDFs?
Encrypted inputs may fail until unlocked in another app.