Compress PDF Files

How do you reduce the file size of a PDF?

Reduce PDF size by re-encoding the images embedded in it, which is where nearly all the weight sits. Scanned or photo-heavy documents commonly drop 50–80%, while a text-only PDF is already efficient and may barely shrink. Text is stored as vector glyphs, so it stays perfectly sharp either way.

Last updated 2026-07-30

Reduce PDF size so it fits under email attachment limits and portal upload caps. Text stays selectable and sharp; the savings come mostly from re-encoding embedded images.

How to use Compress PDF Files

  1. Upload your PDF — Drag the file in and wait for the page count and current size to appear.
  2. Pick a compression level — Medium suits most documents. Use high compression for image-heavy scans where some softening is acceptable.
  3. Download the smaller file — Compare the before and after sizes, then save the result.

Frequently asked questions

How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends almost entirely on images. Scanned or photo-heavy documents often drop 50–80%. A PDF that is mostly text is already efficient and may barely shrink.
Will the text become blurry?
No. Text is stored as vector glyphs and is not re-encoded, so it stays perfectly sharp. Only raster images are recompressed.
My PDF barely shrank — why?
It is probably already optimised, or it is pure text with nothing left to squeeze. Compression works by re-encoding embedded images, so a document without them has little to give.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Every conversion runs inside your own browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. Your files never leave your device, which means there is nothing for us to store, read, or leak.

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