Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size.
Drop a PDF here, or click to browse
Processed entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded
About the Compress PDF
Shrink a large PDF so it's small enough to email or upload. The Compress PDF tool re-renders each page as an optimised image in your browser and rebuilds the file at a smaller size — processed locally with PDF.js and pdf-lib, so your document is never uploaded. Pick a compression level to balance size against quality.
How to use it
- 1Drop in the PDF you want to make smaller.
- 2Choose a level: Strong (smallest), Balanced (recommended) or Light (best quality).
- 3Click Compress and watch the per-page progress.
- 4Compare the new size and download — or try a stronger level if you need more.
How this compression works — and when to use it
To guarantee a smaller file, each page is rendered to a JPEG image and rebuilt into a new PDF. That makes it very effective on scanned documents and image-heavy pages, which are usually the biggest offenders. The trade-off is that text becomes part of the image, so it's no longer selectable or searchable after compression. For that reason it's best for scans, presentations and graphics-heavy files rather than text documents you need to keep selectable. If a level shows "no reduction", try Strong.
Common uses
- Getting a scanned document under an email or upload size limit.
- Shrinking an image-heavy brochure or portfolio before sharing.
- Reducing a bulky presentation exported as a PDF.
Frequently asked questions
- Will the text still be selectable after compressing?
- No. Pages are re-rendered as images to shrink the file, so text becomes non-selectable. This tool is best for scanned or image-heavy PDFs.
- Which level should I choose?
- Start with Balanced. Use Strong when you need the smallest possible file and can accept lower quality, or Light to preserve detail with more modest savings.
- Is my PDF uploaded to compress it?
- No. Every page is rendered and rebuilt in your browser, so the document stays entirely on your device.