Compress PDF: free online, private and unlimited
Make your PDF smaller for email and uploads
Compress PDF reduces the file size of scans, photo heavy documents and presentations so they fit email limits and upload forms. Pick a level, press Compress PDF and see the saving in numbers before you download: original size, new size and percent saved.
Four compression levels
Light does a lossless clean-up with no visible change, and the saving is small. Recommended recompresses large photos inside the PDF with good quality and gives strong savings on most files. Strong uses smaller, lower quality photos and suits sharing on screen. Extreme turns every page into a compressed image for the smallest file, but text is then no longer selectable or searchable, so use it only when size matters most.
What to expect
PDFs with scanned pages or photos can shrink dramatically. Text-only PDFs are usually small already, so there may be little to save, and in that case the tool tells you the file is already well optimized and gives you the original back instead of a bigger file. If you need more reduction, try a stronger level or reduce the pages first with Remove pages.
Compress PDF without uploading
Compression runs in your browser. The file never leaves your device, which is important for contracts, medical papers and ID scans. If you also need to shrink pictures before adding them to a PDF, use the Image Compressor.
Frequently asked questions
How can I reduce a PDF to under 1 MB or 2 MB?
Start with Recommended. If the result is still too large, run the original again with Strong, and use Extreme as the last option for scanned documents.
Will compressing a PDF reduce quality?
Light does not. Recommended and Strong lower the quality of embedded photos moderately. Extreme converts pages to images, so text becomes part of the picture.
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
Some PDFs contain mostly text and vector graphics that are already compact. The tool detects this and returns the original rather than a larger file.
Is there a file size limit?
The tool sets none. Very large files depend on the memory of your device and may take longer.
Is this tool really free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no daily limit and no watermark.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The tool runs in your browser, so your files stay on your device.
Does it work on mobile and tablets?
Yes. It works in current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on desktop, tablet and phone.