Compress PDF
Shrink a PDF by re-rendering its pages as compact images — a good fit for scanned and photo-heavy documents that are too big to email or upload.
Runs in your browser — your files never leave this device
High quality keeps pages sharpest but shrinks the file least. Small file compresses the most, with softer pages. Pages are converted to images, so text in the result is no longer selectable — see the FAQ below.
Related tools
How to use the Compress PDF tool
- Drop one PDF file onto the box above, or click it to browse your device — its size and page count are shown.
- Pick a quality level: High quality, Balanced, or Small file.
- Press Compress PDF and wait while each page is re-rendered and rebuilt in your browser.
- Compare the original and compressed sizes, then download the result. Your original file is never modified or uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The compression happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your file never leaves your device, and nothing is stored anywhere.
How does this compression work — and what do I lose?
Each page is converted to a JPEG image (rasterized) and rebuilt into a new PDF at the same page size. That means text will no longer be selectable or searchable, and vector graphics such as logos and diagrams become pictures. Links, bookmarks and form fields are also not carried over.
Which PDFs does this work best for?
Scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs — files whose size comes from big embedded images. Those usually shrink a lot. It is not recommended for documents where you need to copy text, search the content, or keep crisp vector artwork.
Why did my file get bigger instead of smaller?
Results vary. A text-only PDF is already very compact, so turning its pages into images can occasionally make the output larger. If that happens, try the Small file level — or keep the original, which may already be as small as it reasonably gets.
Which quality level should I pick?
Balanced is the sensible default for everyday sharing. Choose High quality when pages will be printed or read closely, and Small file when you must fit a strict upload or email size limit and softer pages are acceptable.