Compress PDF Online
Reduce PDF file size directly in your browser. Upload a PDF, choose your compression level, and download the optimized file.
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Choose Compression Level
Compress PDF Online for Free
Need to send a PDF by email, upload a document to a website, or reduce the storage space used by a large file? Our free PDF compressor helps you reduce PDF file size directly in your browser.
Upload your PDF, choose Strong, Balanced, or Basic compression, and create a smaller PDF without installing desktop software.
How to Compress a PDF
- Upload your PDF using the upload box above.
- Choose your preferred compression level.
- Click Compress PDF.
- Wait while the pages are processed.
- Download your compressed PDF.
What Does PDF Compression Do?
PDF files can contain photographs, scanned documents, screenshots, illustrations, fonts and other data. Large images are often responsible for a significant portion of a PDF's file size.
This tool reduces the size of a PDF by rendering its pages and rebuilding them using optimized image quality. The compression level determines the balance between image quality and output file size.
Strong Compression
Strong compression uses lower image resolution and quality to prioritize a smaller PDF. It can be useful when a website or email service has a strict file-size limit.
Balanced Compression
Balanced compression aims to provide a practical compromise between readability and file size. It is the recommended starting point for most image-heavy PDFs.
Basic Compression
Basic compression preserves more image quality while still attempting to reduce the size of the document.
Can Every PDF Be Compressed?
No compression method can guarantee a smaller result for every PDF. A document that is already highly optimized may not become smaller. Some text-based PDFs can even become larger when their pages are rebuilt as images.
For that reason, this tool reports the original and resulting file sizes instead of promising a fixed percentage reduction.
Why Is My Compressed PDF Still Large?
The result depends on what is inside the original PDF. A PDF containing high-resolution photographs or scanned pages can often benefit much more from image compression than a simple text document.
If the PDF is already optimized, there may be little opportunity for additional size reduction without reducing visual quality.
Does PDF Compression Reduce Quality?
It can. Stronger compression generally means lower image quality. If visual quality is important, start with the Balanced or Basic option.
Because this tool rebuilds pages as images, text may also stop being selectable or searchable in the resulting document.
Compress PDF Without Installing Software
You do not need to install a desktop PDF application to try this browser-based compressor. The processing happens on your device, making it convenient for quick PDF size reduction on desktop and mobile browsers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compress a PDF online?
Upload your PDF, select a compression level, click Compress PDF, and download the resulting file.
Is this PDF compressor free?
Yes. The tool is designed for free browser-based PDF compression without requiring an account.
Does the PDF get uploaded to a server?
No. The processing is performed in your browser. Your PDF is not intentionally uploaded to our server by this tool.
Which compression level should I use?
Balanced is a good starting point for most users. Choose Strong when file size is more important, or Basic when preserving image quality is more important.
Can I compress a scanned PDF?
Yes. Scanned PDFs can benefit from image-based compression because scanned pages are typically composed of images.
Will my compressed PDF remain searchable?
Not necessarily. Because this tool rebuilds pages as images, selectable and searchable text may not be preserved.
Why did my PDF become larger?
Some PDFs are already highly optimized. Rebuilding a text-heavy or already-compressed PDF as images can sometimes produce a larger file.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Password-protected or encrypted PDFs may not be processable by the browser-based converter. Try an unlocked PDF if processing fails.
Is there a guaranteed compression percentage?
No. PDF contents vary significantly, so a fixed percentage reduction cannot be honestly guaranteed.
PDF Compression Disclaimer
This tool provides browser-based PDF optimization for convenience. Compression results depend on the contents and structure of the original PDF. Always compare the resulting document with the original before using it for important legal, financial, academic, business or official purposes.
