Compress PDF

Make your PDF smaller and easier to share.

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Compress PDF help

Reduce a PDF’s file size before sharing it by email or sending it through a form. Compression runs in your browser and saves a new copy; your original file stays unchanged.

How to use Compress PDF

  1. Choose the PDF you want to make smaller.
  2. For PDFs with images, choose a quality preset or turn on Choose a target file size and enter your limit.
  3. Choose whether to Remove saved document details, then click Compress PDF.
  4. Click Download and check the saved file, especially small print and image detail.
Options explained
Compression preset
Best quality keeps more image detail; Balanced balances size and quality; Strong and Maximum make smaller images. Download the result and check small print before sharing. These options appear for PDFs with images.
Choose a target file size
Try 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB or a custom size. If no validated result meets the limit, the tool says so.
Remove saved document details
Clear descriptive properties such as the author when sharing. This does not remove names printed on pages.
Continue and compress
Shown for a digitally signed PDF. Confirm only when you want a changed copy whose digital signature will no longer verify; keep the signed original.
Limits and supported files

PDF documents. An opening password is required when the file needs one to be read.

Local tests used synthetic 10, 50, 100 and 200 MB PDFs containing large images. Chromium, Firefox and WebKit: completed 10, 50, 100, 200 MB.

Chromium, Firefox and WebKit: completed 50, 300, 1000 text pages. Tests used the default preset; reduction varies with the source content.

Compress PDF was tested on a 16 GB Mac with Chromium, Firefox and WebKit. These are observed examples, not guaranteed limits on your device. WebKit tests do not replace a check in Safari on your own device.

Questions

How do I reduce the file size of a PDF?

Choose your PDF, keep the Balanced preset or set a target size, then click Compress PDF and Download. Image-heavy PDFs usually shrink most; text-only files shrink less.

Which compression option should I choose?

Start with Balanced for everyday sharing. Best quality keeps more image detail; Strong and Maximum favour smaller files. Review small print and fine details before using the result. Image compression can change picture quality, including with Best quality.

Why does a text-only PDF have fewer options?

Image settings do not help a PDF that contains only text and drawings. Those files use the document cleanup and font optimizations available to the compressor. Already compact PDFs may get only slightly smaller.

Can I reduce a PDF to a specific KB or MB limit?

Use a size-target tool such as Compress PDF to 500 KB when an upload form sets a limit. It searches for a smaller copy and tells you if the target was not reached. No preset or target can guarantee that every PDF will fit; long or already compressed documents may need fewer pages.

Is my PDF uploaded during compression?

No. Compression processes the document on your device. Site analytics measure website use, not your PDF contents. Keep the browser tab open until your download is ready.

Your files are processed on your device. Verify it yourself. Read our privacy policy for details about website analytics and saved settings.