Compress PDF - Frequently Asked Questions

The Compress PDF tool makes PDF files smaller, so they are easier to email, upload to forms and store. Choose how much to compress, and the tool shows the original size, the new size and how much you saved.

• Low (best quality): a modest reduction with near-original quality. Good for documents you will print.
• Medium (balanced): a clear reduction with little visible change. The right choice for most documents.
• High (smallest file): the biggest reduction. Images may look softer. Good for email and web uploads.
• Specific file size: pick a target such as 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB, and the tool reduces image quality step by step until the file fits.

It depends on what the PDF contains. Files with many photos or scanned pages often shrink by 50–80%. Text-only PDFs are already compact and may only shrink by 10–30%.

If compression would not make the file smaller, you get your original file back unchanged, never a bigger one. If a target size cannot be reached, the tool tells you and gives you the smallest version it could make.

Text stays sharp at every level because compression mainly works on images. At Low and Medium, most people see no difference. At High, or with a small target size, photos and scans can look softer. If the result is not good enough, compress the original again with a lower level.

Yes. Choose Specific file size and pick a target. This is useful for application and registration forms with strict upload limits. Very long or image-heavy documents may not fit in a very small target. In that case, try splitting the PDF or removing pages you do not need.

Files up to about 100 MB are processed quickly. Larger files are supported but take longer to upload and compress.

Not directly. Remove the password first with Unlock PDF (you need to know the password), compress the unlocked file, then add a password again with Protect PDF if you need one.

Yes. Use Batch Compress PDF to compress several files in one go and download them individually or as a ZIP.

Yes. It works in modern browsers on Android phones, iPhones and tablets. Choose a PDF from your files, pick a level and download the compressed file. Large files upload faster on Wi-Fi.

Compression runs on our own servers, so your PDF is uploaded over an encrypted connection. It is used only to create the compressed version, kept only temporarily and then deleted automatically. It is never sent to a third-party service, and we never sell or share your documents.