Document tool · Free
Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size with a lossless optimisation mode or a stronger image-based mode.
- Runs in your browser — files are not uploaded
- Input: pdf → pdf
- Up to 50 MB per file
How to use Compress PDF
- 1
Add a PDF file.
- 2
Choose a mode: Optimise (lossless) or Strong (image-based).
- 3
Click Compress, compare the before/after size and download.
About this tool
Email and portal upload limits are often 2–10 MB. This tool offers two honest modes. Optimise rewrites the PDF structure without touching content — safe, but savings are often small. Strong converts each page to a compressed image, which can dramatically shrink scanned documents but makes text non-selectable. If the server has Ghostscript configured, a third high-quality mode becomes available.
Good to know
- Without Ghostscript, lossless savings are modest; Strong mode rasterises pages (text becomes non-selectable).
- Maximum 100 pages in Strong mode.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my PDF barely get smaller?
Optimise mode only rewrites the file structure. PDFs that are already optimised will not shrink much. Try Strong mode for scanned or image-heavy PDFs.
What is the downside of Strong mode?
Pages become images, so text is no longer selectable or searchable and very small print can soften. Keep the original for archiving.
Is there a Ghostscript mode?
When available on our server, an extra Ghostscript mode appears that compresses images inside the PDF while keeping text selectable.
Is Compress PDF private?
Yes. This tool processes files entirely in your browser, so your files are not uploaded to our servers.
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