About this tool
Compress PDF files to make them smaller without losing readability. Large PDFs are a pain to email, upload to portals, or store at scale — but the size usually comes from embedded images and fonts that can be optimised heavily without anyone noticing the difference. Our compressor runs entirely in your browser, so even confidential documents stay on your device.
When to use it
- Shrinking a PDF report below an email-attachment size limit (most servers cap at 25 MB)
- Reducing a contract or brochure for upload to a portal that rejects large files
- Lowering storage and bandwidth costs for image-heavy PDFs
- Making a scanned multi-page PDF practical to share online
- Producing a smaller version for slow-internet recipients without losing legibility
What to expect
Compression ratios depend heavily on the source — image-heavy or scanned PDFs typically shrink 50–80%, while text-only PDFs may only drop 10–20% because the text was already small. Visual quality is preserved at normal viewing zoom; you may notice softness if you zoom in 300%+ on photographic content.
Frequently asked questions
Will compressing my PDF reduce its quality?
For typical viewing and printing, no perceptible loss. Heavy compression mostly targets embedded images, which are downsampled to a sensible resolution. Text remains crisp. If you need archival quality, use a lighter compression preset.
Why didn't my PDF shrink much?
If the PDF is mostly text or already-optimised images, there's not much to compress. The biggest wins come from PDFs containing high-resolution photos or scans — those routinely shrink by 60–80%.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Compression runs in your browser using JavaScript. The PDF never leaves your device, which is why we can offer the tool without account creation, and why it's safe for sensitive documents.