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Compress a PDF

Counter Compress PDF
Drop your files here .pdf

Compression turns pages into images, so text in the result cannot be selected or searched. A file that does not get smaller is kept as it was.

    Shrink large scanned PDFs to a size email and upload forms accept. Pages are saved again as images, and a file that does not get smaller is kept as it was.

    • Free
    • No sign-up
    • No watermark

    Why compress a PDF?

    Upload forms often refuse PDFs above a certain size, and email attachments stop at around 20–25 MB. Drop your file on the counter above; compression starts by itself and the row shows how much smaller the file got.

    Compression redraws every page as a JPEG image at the resolution you choose and places it in a new PDF. Photographed or scanned PDFs usually shrink several times over. PDFs typed on a computer and made mostly of text are already small; as images they can grow, and in that case your original file is kept as it was.

    The settings table shows what each resolution is good for. After changing a setting, Compress again with these settings reruns the same files; there is no need to add them again.

    How to compress a PDF

    1. Add your PDF

      Drag the PDFs you want to compress onto the counter or pick them with Choose files.

    2. Choose the setting

      The default 150 DPI at 60% quality suits most documents. For a smaller file lower the resolution or the quality, then press Compress again with these settings.

    3. Compression starts by itself

      Files are compressed in turn; each row shows the old and new size and how much smaller it got.

    4. Download

      Get the file with Download; several files download together as one ZIP.

    Which setting to choose

    Which setting to choose
    72 DPIThe smallest file. Fine for reading on screen; small print may blur.
    100 DPIA good balance for scanned documents headed for an upload form.
    150 DPIThe default. Sharp on screen and legible when printed.
    200 DPIClose to print quality; the file shrinks less.

    Quality sets the JPEG compression. 50–70% suits most documents; below 40%, smudges can appear around letters.

    About PDF

    PDF

    Portable Document Format

    PDF makes a document look exactly the same on every device. It fixes fonts, images and page layout in place and is the shared language of official letters, invoices and applications.

    All PDF conversions

    Frequently asked questions

    Is compressing PDFs free?

    Yes, completely free. No account, no daily limit, no watermark and no queue.

    Why can’t I select the text after compressing?

    This tool shrinks a PDF by turning every page into an image. The writing is still visible and readable, but it is a picture now rather than text, so it cannot be selected, copied or searched. Use the original file when you need selectable text.

    Why didn’t my file get smaller?

    PDFs typed on a computer and made mostly of text are already small, and as images they can grow. When the result is not smaller, your original file is kept. Try 100 or 72 DPI with the quality at 50%.

    How do I get a PDF under 1 MB?

    At 100 DPI and 50% quality a scanned page usually comes down to 30–150 KB, text-heavy pages at the low end and photos at the high end, so a document of a few pages often ends up under 1 MB. If it is still too big, try 72 DPI or take out pages you do not need with the PDF split tool.

    Does it work on a phone?

    Yes. It works on iPhone, iPad and Android, with no app to install. Pick your PDFs from the Files app or your downloads.

    Is there a file size limit?

    There is no size limit set by us; PDFs of hundreds of pages work too. Very large files take longer and are handled more comfortably on a computer than on a phone.

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