Compress PDF
Rebuild each page as an optimised image at the quality you pick. Best for scans and image-heavy files that are too big to send.
Choose a PDFShrinks scans and image-heavy PDFs the most.
Compression level
Several methods are tried and the smallest result wins, so the output is never bigger than what you put in.
Your file never leaves this device. Processing happens in your browser, so nothing is uploaded and nothing is stored.
Part of PDF Studio
This job also lives inside PDF Studio, alongside the other three everyday PDF tasks. Handy if you need more than one pass over the same document.
How to compress pdf
- Add a PDF. Scans and photo-heavy files shrink the most.
- Pick a level. Balanced suits email. Strong is for tight upload limits.
- Check the saving. The result shows old and new size before you download.
Make a PDF smaller so it fits an upload limit or email attachment. Choose how hard to squeeze and see the saving before you download.
Frequently asked questions
How much smaller will my file get?
Scans and photo-heavy PDFs often drop 60–90%. A file that is already plain text may barely change, because there is little left to remove.
Will the text stay selectable?
No. Compression flattens each page to an image, so text becomes part of the picture. Run OCR afterwards if you need selectable text.
Is there a file size limit?
Only what your device can hold in memory. Very large files are slower because every page is re-rendered.