Compress PDF

Compress PDF online — reduce file size, free

Shrink PDFs for email, upload, or storage. Pick a quality level, see exactly how much smaller the file becomes, and download. Your PDF never leaves your browser.

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Everything in this PDF compressor

A free, fast, private compressor for everyday use — no signup, no watermark, no upload.

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Three quality levels

Pick High quality (keeps text), Recommended (balanced), or Smallest size (max reduction).

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See sizes before & after

We show the original file size, the new compressed size, and the percentage saved.

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100% private

Compression runs entirely in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded or stored.

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Compress for email

Get your file under common 25 MB attachment limits in seconds, then send straight from the tool.

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Print-ready output

High quality and Recommended levels stay sharp for on-screen reading and most print jobs.

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Save, Share or Email

Once compressed, download, share via the system share menu, or open your email app pre-filled.

How to compress a PDF in 3 steps

1
Open your PDF
Drop a PDF on the page or pick one from your computer. We immediately show its size.
2
Pick a level
High quality (keeps text), Recommended (balanced), or Smallest size (most savings).
3
Compress & download
Click Compress PDF, see the new size and savings, then Download — or Share / Email.

Compress PDF — frequently asked questions

▶How much can I shrink a PDF?

It depends on the source. PDFs full of high-resolution images can shrink by 50–80% with the Smallest size level. PDFs that are already optimised or mostly text may only shrink a few percent on the High quality (lossless) level.

▶What's the difference between the three compression levels?

High quality re-saves the PDF with structural optimisations only — text stays selectable and quality is identical to the original, but file-size savings are small. Recommended re-renders pages at 150 DPI as compact JPEG — large savings, very readable. Smallest size uses 100 DPI and stronger JPEG — biggest savings, screen-quality only.

▶Will the compressed PDF still be searchable?

Only the High quality (lossless) level preserves the original text layer. The Recommended and Smallest size levels rebuild pages as images, which means text inside them is no longer selectable or searchable. Choose High quality if searchability matters.

▶Is the file uploaded to your server?

No. All compression runs inside your web browser using JavaScript. Your file never leaves your computer, which keeps your documents private.

▶Why is my compressed file the same size or larger?

If your PDF is already heavily optimised (e.g. text-only) the lossless level can't shrink it further. Try Recommended or Smallest size for image-style compression. Conversely, a tiny text-only PDF re-rendered as images may even grow slightly — the lossless option is better for those.

▶Can I compress a PDF for email?

Yes. Many email services limit attachments to 25 MB. Pick Recommended or Smallest size to get under that limit fast. After compressing, you can also use the Email button to open your mail app pre-filled.

▶Does compressing change the page count?

No. The compressed PDF has the same number of pages and the same dimensions as the original. Only the visual quality and storage size change.

▶Will the compressed PDF print well?

High quality and Recommended both look good in print at typical sizes. Smallest size is fine for on-screen viewing and quick prints, but very fine details (small text on scans) may soften. For archival prints, stick with High quality or Recommended.

▶Are there file-size or page-count limits?

There's no fixed limit, but very large PDFs (hundreds of pages or 100 MB+) take longer because everything happens in your browser. Most files compress in seconds.