Compress PDF
Compress your PDF file directly in your browser. Your file stays on your device.
Compress PDF Online – Reduce PDF File Size for Free
Compress PDF files directly in your browser. Choose your compression level, reduce file size, and download the result without uploading your document to a server.
What Is PDF Compression?
PDF compression reduces the size of a PDF so it is easier to store, share, upload, and send by email. Large PDFs are often caused by high-resolution images, scanned pages, and other image-heavy content.
How to Compress a PDF Online
- Open the PDF compressor above.
- Click Select PDF File, or drag and drop a PDF into the upload area.
- Choose a compression level.
- Click Compress PDF.
- Wait while the pages are processed in your browser.
- Check the original size, output size, and actual reduction.
- Click Download PDF to save the result.
Choose the Right Compression Level
Recommended
Recommended is the best starting point for most PDFs. It uses a balance between image quality and file size.
High Compression
High Compression targets a smaller file by using lower image quality and rendering resolution. It is useful when file size is more important than visual quality.
Low Compression
Low Compression keeps better image quality and applies lighter compression. It is useful when readability and appearance are more important.
Does PDF Compression Always Make a File Smaller?
No. Some PDFs are already highly optimized or contain content that does not compress efficiently. For that reason, this tool does not invent a percentage or claim a reduction that did not happen.
The tool tries several browser-side settings and keeps the smallest generated PDF. If the generated result is still larger than the original, the result clearly reports that no size reduction was achieved.
Is My PDF Uploaded to a Server?
No. The compression process is performed locally in your browser using JavaScript, PDF.js, and jsPDF. Your PDF is not intentionally uploaded to a compression server.
Important Quality Note
This browser-only version uses a simple image-based compression method. PDF pages are rendered and placed into a new PDF as JPEG images. This makes the method broadly compatible with browser-only environments, but it can have an important trade-off: text in the resulting PDF may no longer behave like selectable original PDF text.
Advantages of Browser-Based PDF Compression
- No account is required.
- No PDF compression server is required.
- Processing happens directly in your browser.
- The actual output size is shown after processing.
- You can choose between three compression levels.
- The tool works on modern desktop and mobile browsers that support the required JavaScript features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I compress a PDF for free?
Yes. The tool above is designed for free browser-based PDF compression.
What is the maximum PDF size?
The current tool accepts PDF files up to 50 MB.
Will the original PDF be changed?
No. The original file remains unchanged. A new compressed PDF is generated for download.
Why did my PDF become larger?
Image-based PDF generation can sometimes create a larger file, especially when the original PDF was already optimized. The tool reports the real result instead of showing a fake compression percentage.
Will the compressed PDF keep selectable text?
Not necessarily. Because this browser-only version renders pages as images, selectable text may be lost in the generated PDF.
Conclusion
Compressing a PDF can make large documents easier to upload, share, and store. The compressor above focuses on a simple browser-based workflow: select a PDF, choose a compression level, process the pages locally, compare the actual sizes, and download the result.