Productive ToolboxCompress PDF
Make a PDF smaller, or shrink it to an exact size such as 200 KB or 1 MB, while text stays sharp and selectable.
Drop PDF files here or click to browse
One or more PDFs · nothing is uploaded
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Reduce PDF File Size
An upload form that stops at 2 MB, an email that bounces because the attachment is too big, a scanned contract that takes ages to open: in almost every case the weight of a PDF is its photos and scanned pages, not its text. This tool shrinks those images and re-saves them as JPEG, so the file gets much smaller while the text stays crisp.
Text, fonts, tables and vector drawings are left exactly as they are, so you can still select, copy and search the text in the compressed file. An image is only replaced when the new version is actually smaller, and if nothing in the file can be made smaller you get the original back. No watermark is added. We do not collect or store your files.
Compress a PDF to 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB
Upload forms rarely ask for "smaller"; they ask for under 200 KB or under 2 MB. Choose To a file size, type the limit or tap a preset, and the tool tries several quality settings and keeps the sharpest version that fits. You do not have to guess a level and try again.
If even the smallest version is over the limit, which happens with long scanned documents, click Split into parts. The PDF is cut into page ranges that each fit, ready to upload one by one or to download together as a ZIP.
| Target | Often asked for by |
|---|---|
| 2 MB | Job applications, résumé uploads, many school and university portals |
| 1 MB | Many visa, passport and government forms |
| 500 KB | Online forms with tight limits, scanned ID documents |
| 200 KB / 100 KB | Very strict portals; best for one or two scanned pages |
Compression Levels
| Level | Longest image side | Image quality | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 2,200 px | High | Photo portfolios, brochures, anything you will print |
| Recommended | 1,600 px | Good | Most documents: reports, scans, forms, slides |
| Strong | 1,100 px | Lower | Email attachments and upload limits of 1–2 MB |
A letter-size or A4 page shown at 1,600 pixels tall is about 145 dpi, which reads comfortably on screen and prints cleanly on an office printer. Images that are already smaller than the limit keep their size and are only re-encoded.
Common Size Limits
| Where you send it | Typical limit |
|---|---|
| Gmail / Yahoo Mail attachment | 25 MB |
| Outlook.com attachment | 20 MB |
| Many job and visa application forms | 1–5 MB per file |
| Many university and government portals | 2–10 MB per file |
Limits change and differ between forms, so check the one you are using. Email limits apply to the whole message, so keep attachments a little under them.
How to Compress a PDF
- 1Add your PDF: Drop one or more PDF files on the upload area or click to browse.
- 2Choose how to compress: Pick To a file size and type the limit, such as 200 KB or 1 MB, or tap a preset like Job application (2 MB). Or pick By quality and choose Light, Recommended or Strong.
- 3Compress: Click Compress. Each file shows its new size and whether it is under your limit.
- 4Split if it is still too big: If a file cannot get under the limit, click Split into parts to get several PDFs that each fit.
- 5Download: Click Download next to each file, or download all parts as a ZIP.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reduce the size of a PDF?
Add the PDF, keep Recommended compression and click Compress, then download the smaller file. Most of a PDF's size is usually its photos and scanned pages, so those are shrunk and re-saved as JPEG while the text is left as it is.
How do I compress a PDF to 200 KB or 100 KB?
Choose To a file size, type 200 KB (or tap the 200 KB preset) and click Compress. The tool tries several quality settings and keeps the sharpest version that is under 200 KB. Scanned pages need low quality to fit 100 KB, so check the result is still readable.
How do I compress a PDF to under 1 MB or 2 MB?
Choose To a file size and tap Visa or government form (1 MB) or Job application (2 MB). If the smallest possible version is still too big, click Split into parts to get several files that are each under the limit.
Is 1 MB 1,000 KB or 1,024 KB here?
Sizes you type are decimal: 1 MB = 1,000 KB and 1 KB = 1,000 bytes. That is the stricter reading, so a file made to fit 200 KB here also fits a form that counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes.
Will the text get blurry?
No. Text, fonts and vector drawings are not changed at any setting, so they stay sharp and you can still select and search the text. Only photos and scanned page images are compressed.
Which quality level should I choose?
Recommended keeps images at up to 1,600 pixels on the long side, which looks good on screen and in normal printing. Light keeps up to 2,200 pixels for detailed photos. Strong keeps up to 1,100 pixels and gives a much smaller file.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what is inside. Scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink by 50–90%. A PDF that is mostly text is already small and may only shrink a little; if nothing can be saved, you get your original file back.
Are my files uploaded?
No. We do not collect or store your files.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Yes. A PDF that opens without a password but blocks printing, copying or editing is compressed like any other. If it needs a password to open, type the password in the box that appears. The compressed PDF is saved without a password.
Is there a file size limit or a watermark?
There is no watermark and no fixed size limit. Very large files with hundreds of scanned pages take longer, especially in file-size mode, which may compress a file several times to find the best fit.
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