Compress PDF
Make a PDF smaller for email and uploads — keep text selectable, or compress to an exact size like 100 KB or 200 KB.
Loading the tool…
Runs entirely in your browser. Your files and text are never uploaded to our server.
- Instant results
- 100% free
- No sign-up
- Private
Compress PDF makes a document smaller so it fits email limits and upload forms. Smart mode keeps your text, links and selectable words and only shrinks the photos and scans inside the PDF. Need an exact limit? Choose a target such as 100 KB or 200 KB and the tool tries the gentlest method first. Everything runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded.
More about Compress PDFHow to use, good to know & FAQ
How to use Compress PDF
- Choose or drop a PDF file.
- Pick a mode: Smart (keeps text), To a target file size, or Maximum (turns pages into images for the smallest file).
- For Smart mode choose Light, Balanced or Strong image quality. For a target, tap a Quick size or type your own limit.
- Click Compress PDF, compare the before and after size, then download.
Compress a PDF to 100KB, 200KB, 500KB or 1MB
Many job portals, exam forms and visa sites only accept PDFs under a fixed size. Open a size directly: 100 KB, 200 KB, 300 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or 2 MB. The tool first shrinks the images while keeping the text. If that is not enough, it flattens the pages into images at lower quality until the file fits, and the result table tells you which method was used. A mostly-text PDF is usually already small; scanned pages and photos are where the big savings come from.
Good to know
- If the result is not smaller, your PDF is already well optimised — keep the original.
- For scans you need to fit under 100 KB, scan in black and white or greyscale at 150 dpi if you can.
- Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF.
- Need to combine files first? Use Merge PDF, then compress the merged file. For photos, try reducing image size in KB before making the PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is opened and processed by your own browser, and the result is created on your device. Nothing is sent to our server, so it works even with confidential documents.
Will I still be able to select and search the text?
Yes in Smart mode — only the images inside the PDF are re-compressed. Maximum mode, and target sizes that cannot be reached any other way, turn pages into images, so text can no longer be selected. The result table always tells you which method was used.
How can I compress a PDF to 100 KB?
Tap 100 KB in the Quick size row, add the PDF and click Compress PDF. If the document has many pages of scans, 100 KB may only be possible at low quality; the tool shows the smallest size it could reach.
How much smaller will my file get?
Image-heavy and scanned PDFs often shrink by 50–90%. Text-only PDFs are usually already compact and may shrink very little.
When to use Compress PDF
Use it before emailing a large PDF, uploading documents to job, university or government portals with size limits, or saving storage on your phone. To send a smaller file by email, see our guide on reducing PDF size for email.