Compress PDF
Make a PDF smaller in your browser. Works best on scanned documents.
Your files stay on your device — nothing is uploaded.
How to compress a PDF
- Drop your PDF on the box above, or click to choose it.
- Pick a level: smaller file, balanced, or better quality.
- Press Compress PDF and wait while it works.
- Download the smaller file.
How this compressor works
The tool re-draws each page as an image, then rebuilds the PDF from those images at a lower quality. This is the method that shrinks heavy scanned PDFs the most. Because the pages become images, any text in them turns into a picture of text, so it is no longer selectable or searchable. Keep your original if you need the text to stay live.
Best for scanned PDFs
A PDF made of scanned or photographed pages is usually large, and this tool can cut it down a lot. A PDF that was made on a computer, with real text and few images, is often already small. Re-drawing that kind of file can make it the same size or even larger, so the tool will tell you when your original is the better choice.
Pick the right level
Smaller file uses more compression and a lower resolution, best when you must fit a limit. Balanced is a good middle for most scans. Better quality keeps pages sharper for reading, at a larger size. Try one, check the result, and switch if you need to.
FAQ
Why is my text no longer selectable after compressing?
The tool turns each page into an image to shrink it, so the text becomes part of the picture. Use the original file when you need to select or search the text.
My PDF got bigger, not smaller. Why?
Your PDF was likely already small, with real text and few images. Re-drawing such a file adds size. Keep the original in that case.
Which level should I choose?
Use balanced for most scans. Choose smaller file to fit a strict limit, or better quality to keep pages easy to read.
Will it work on a big scanned document?
Yes. It handles each page one at a time, so even a long scan is processed without running out of memory. It just takes longer.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Compression runs in your browser and nothing is saved.
How much can a PDF compressor shrink a file?
It depends on what is inside. Scanned pages often drop to a third of their size, a big reduce PDF size win. A PDF that is mostly text is already tight, and redrawing it will not shrink a PDF like that by much, as the note above explains.
Can I compress a PDF without losing quality?
Some quality trade is how the size comes down, but at the default setting the pages stay easy to read on screen and in print. If the result looks too soft, run it again with a higher quality choice.