Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size for email and online forms. Choose a strength or a target size and see the result before you download.
How to compress a PDF
Choose your PDF
Drop one or more PDFs onto the page.
Pick how small
Choose Light, Balanced or Strong — or set a target size such as 1 MB.
Download
Compare before and after, then download the smaller file.
Why people use Compress PDF
“Max file size: 2 MB.”
Set a target size and get a file that fits job, visa and school portals.
“Attachment too large.”
Shrink scanned documents so they go through on the first try.
“Ten photos made a 40 MB PDF.”
Scans and photo-heavy PDFs usually shrink by 70–90%.
How compression works here
Light mode rewrites the PDF structure without touching quality. Balanced and Strong re-render each page as an optimized JPEG — ideal for scans and photo-heavy files. Everything runs on your device, and if a result would be bigger than the original, we tell you and keep the original.
Target size
Need it under 1 MB or 200 KB? Set the target and we find the best quality that fits.
Honest results
You see the exact before and after size. No result is ever larger than your original.
Batch compression
Drop several PDFs and compress them all, then download as a ZIP.
No upload
Sensitive scans — IDs, bank statements, medical records — stay on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. No daily limits, no sign-up and no watermark. Because the work happens on your device, it costs us nothing to run — the site is supported by unobtrusive ads.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Your files are opened and processed by code running in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server — you can confirm it in your browser’s Network panel, or by turning off Wi-Fi after the page loads.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the content. Scanned pages and photos often shrink by 70–90%. PDFs that are mostly text are already compact and may only shrink a little.
How do I compress a PDF to under 1 MB?
Choose “Target size”, enter 1 MB and click Compress. We try decreasing quality levels until the file fits, and show you the result.
Will text still be selectable?
In Light mode, yes. Balanced and Strong turn each page into an image to save space, so text is no longer selectable — use Light for text-heavy documents.
Why did my file barely shrink?
Text-only PDFs are already efficient. Try Strong mode, or accept the Light result — we never give you a file bigger than the original.