Compress a PDF
Most PDFs are big because of the images inside them. Compression re-encodes those images at a sensible resolution while leaving text alone — so a 20 MB deck often lands at 2–3 MB with no visible difference on screen.
How to compress a PDF
Upload the PDF you want to make smaller.
Pick a level — Light for the best quality, Balanced for a good trade-off, Maximum for the smallest file.
Download the compressed PDF and check the size saved.
Frequently asked questions
Will compressing blur my text?
No. Text is never rasterised, so it stays crisp and selectable at any zoom. Only images are re-encoded.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what is inside. Image-heavy and scanned documents often drop by 70–90%; a text-only PDF is already small and will change little.
What if the result is still too large?
Switch to the Maximum level, or set a custom DPI. Reducing the page count first with Extract Pages or Delete Pages also helps.
Related tools
- Compress an imageMake JPG, PNG and WebP images smaller without visible quality loss. Compress to a target size or convert to WebP. Free online.
- Merge PDF filesCombine multiple PDFs into one file in the order you choose. Free, fast, and no account needed — your files are deleted automatically.
- Convert PDF to JPGConvert every page of a PDF into a JPG image. Multi-page PDFs download as a zip. Free online converter with no account needed.
- Split a PDFSplit one PDF into several files. Pick the split points visually and download each section separately. Free and no sign-up required.
Your files stay private
Files you upload without an account are processed and then deleted automatically — they are never added to anyone's storage and are not used to train anything. Transfers are encrypted in both directions. Create a free account if you would rather keep your documents in a private vault, or see the pricing plans for unlimited use.