Compress PDF is a free online tool that reduces PDF file size with an adjustable quality slider. It re-renders each page as an image at your chosen quality - an honest trade: smaller files, but text becomes unselectable and fine detail softens slightly.
Compress PDF
1. Upload a PDF. 2. Set a quality level with the slider. 3. Download the smaller file. Honest note: this re-renders each page as an image, so text becomes unselectable and fine detail softens slightly. Lower quality = smaller file.
Drop a PDF file here or click to browse
Processed locally on your device
85%+ keeps pages sharp · below 55% gives the smallest files, visibly softer
How to compress a PDF in 3 steps
- Upload your PDF file.
- Move the quality slider: higher keeps pages sharp, lower shrinks the file more.
- Click “Compress PDF” and download the smaller file - the before/after sizes are shown.
Is this compression lossless?
No - and we say so up front. Each page is re-rendered as a JPEG image at your chosen quality level. That shrinks the file dramatically, but text becomes unselectable and fine detail softens slightly.
If you need the text to stay selectable, compressing isn’t the right tool - instead, extract just the pages you need with our Split PDF tool.
Which quality setting should I choose?
Use 85% or higher when sharpness matters, like documents you’ll print or submit officially. Use lower settings for email attachments and web uploads, where a small file matters more than perfect detail.
Scanned or image-heavy PDFs shrink the most; PDFs that are already heavily compressed may only get a little smaller.
Frequently asked questions
Is the compression lossless?
No - and we say so up front. Each page is re-rendered as a JPEG image at your chosen quality level. That shrinks the file dramatically but makes text unselectable and softens fine detail.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the original: scanned or image-heavy PDFs shrink the most. The tool shows your exact before/after sizes and the percentage saved after each run.
Which quality setting should I pick?
Use 85% or higher when sharpness matters, like printing or official documents. Use lower settings for email attachments and web uploads where size matters most.
Why didn't my file get much smaller?
PDFs that are already compressed (for example, exported with "smallest file size" settings) may only shrink a little. Try a lower quality setting if you need it smaller.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Compression runs entirely in your browser using your device's processor and memory.