Compress PDF
Free. Runs in your browser; files are not uploaded.
Drop a PDF here
One PDF up to 150 MB.
Choose a level, then compress to see the new size. Your original file is not changed.
Runs locally in your browser. Files are processed on this device and are not uploaded.
How to compress a PDF
Choose a PDF
Drop a PDF or choose it with the button. The tool shows its page count and size.
Pick a level
Light, Recommended or Strong. Stronger levels take a little longer.
Compress
Select Compress PDF. The result shows the old size, the new size and the saving in percent.
Download
Download the copy named <name>-compressed.pdf. The original file is not changed.
What gets smaller
The tool rewrites the PDF with qpdf. It recompresses every data stream with zlib and packs small objects into compressed object streams. PDFs saved by older software or without object streams often shrink the most.
Compression is lossless. Text, vector graphics and images are not re-encoded, so nothing gets blurrier. When the rewrite does not save any space, the tool keeps the original bytes.
| Level | zlib level | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 6 | Fastest, smallest saving |
| Recommended | 8 | Balance of speed and size |
| Strong | 9 | Smallest file, slowest |
Frequently asked questions
Will the quality get worse?
No. Pages, text and images stay exactly as they were. Only the way the data is stored changes.
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
The file is already stored efficiently, or most of its size is images that are already compressed. In that case the tool reports that the PDF is already compact.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Compression runs in your browser with a WebAssembly build of qpdf. The file stays on your device.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Remove the password first, compress the copy, and add the password again with Protect PDF.
What is the output file called?
The original name with -compressed added, for example report-compressed.pdf.
Related free tools
- Merge PDFJoin several PDF files into one, in the order you set.
- Protect PDFAdd an open password to a PDF with AES-256 encryption.
- PDF Page OrganizerMove, rotate, delete or insert pages, then download the new PDF.
- Image CompressorReduce PNG, JPG and WebP file size and compare the result before saving.
- PDF to JPGSave each PDF page as a JPG or PNG at 72, 150 or 300 DPI.
- Image to PDFPut JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC images in order and save them as one PDF.
Emailing a PDF of screenshots?
Temposhot exports capture runs as PDF on your Mac. Export images as JPG to keep the PDF small from the start.
Free download. Apple Silicon, macOS 14 or later.