Why is my PDF so large — and how does compression help?
Most of the weight in a PDF comes from images: scans, photos and high-resolution graphics. This compressor finds the photos inside your PDF, scales them to a sensible resolution and re-encodes them more efficiently. Text and vector graphics are left untouched, so they stay sharp and selectable.
Pick “Light” for maximum quality, “Recommended” for the best balance, or “Strong” for the smallest file. Everything runs in your browser, so even confidential documents never leave your device. If a file is already well optimized, we tell you instead of giving you a bigger file.
How to compress a PDF
- 1
Choose your PDF file.
- 2
Select a compression level.
- 3
Click “Compress PDF” and compare the new size with the original.
- 4
Download the smaller PDF.
Features
Three levels
Light, Recommended and Strong — choose how much quality to trade for size.
Text stays sharp
Only images are recompressed; text remains crisp and searchable.
Size comparison
See the before and after size and the percentage saved.
No upload
Compression runs locally — ideal for contracts, payslips and IDs.
Examples
Email attachment limit
A 22 MB scanned contract often shrinks to 3–6 MB with the Recommended level — small enough for most email providers.
Government portals
Many upload forms limit files to 2 MB or 5 MB. Use Strong compression for scanned documents.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reduce the size of a PDF?
Upload the PDF, pick a compression level and click Compress PDF. Download the smaller file once you’re happy with the result.
Will compression reduce quality?
Text and vector graphics are not changed. Photos are re-encoded; the Light level is nearly invisible, while Strong may soften images slightly.
Why didn’t my PDF get smaller?
PDFs that contain mostly text, or images that are already compressed efficiently, have little room to shrink. In that case we keep your original file.
Is it safe to compress confidential PDFs?
Yes. The PDF is processed entirely in your browser and is never uploaded to any server.