How to use Compress PDF
- Click the box (or drag a PDF onto it) to choose your file.
- Pick a mode. Try Light first if you want to keep selectable text. Choose Strong for scanned documents or PDFs full of photos.
- Press Compress PDF. You will see the original and new size.
- If the new file is smaller, press Download compressed PDF.
About this tool
How much a PDF can shrink depends on what is inside it. A PDF made from a scanner or full of photographs is mostly image data, and it can often be reduced a lot. A PDF that is mostly text is already small, and may not shrink at all.
Light mode saves your PDF again with a more compact internal structure. Text stays selectable and nothing is re-drawn, but the saving is usually small and some files do not get smaller. Strong mode draws every page as a picture, saves it as a JPEG and builds a new PDF from the pictures. This is where big reductions come from, but text, links and form fields are flattened into the image.
The tool only offers a download when the result is actually smaller than your original. If neither mode helps, your file is already about as small as it can reasonably get with this approach. Strong mode is limited to 200 pages.
Privacy: This tool runs in your browser. What you type or choose is not sent to a server by this website.
Common questions
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the file. Scans and photo-heavy PDFs can shrink a lot in Strong mode. Text-only PDFs often cannot be made noticeably smaller. The tool shows the real numbers before you download.
Why does Strong mode remove selectable text?
Because each page becomes a picture. That is the trade-off for a much smaller file. Keep your original if you need to search or copy the text.
Why did my file not get smaller?
It may already be well optimised. Try Strong mode with a lower quality setting, or consider reducing the images before creating the PDF.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Compression happens inside your browser.