Compress PDF
Last updated: June 1, 2026In-browserReduce PDF file size online.
Compress PDF is a free online tool to reduce PDF file size online. It runs entirely in your browser, so your files never leave your device — nothing is uploaded. There's no sign-up, no watermark, and it works on any modern browser on desktop or mobile.
How to use Compress PDF
Compress PDF shrinks large PDF files right in your browser — ideal for scans and image-heavy documents that are too big to email or upload. It reduces the file size while keeping the document readable, with no upload, no watermark and no sign-up.
Read the full guide: How to Compress a PDF (Reduce File Size, Free)
- 1Drop in your PDF.
- 2The tool optimizes and recompresses the document.
- 3Download the smaller PDF — processed entirely on your device.
Beat upload limits
Get scans and image-heavy PDFs under common email and portal size limits.
Private by design
Your document is compressed locally and never uploaded to a server.
No watermark
The compressed PDF is clean — no stamps, no sign-up, no trial caps.
Shrink a scanned PDF for email
Scanned contracts and ID copies are huge because each page is a high-resolution image, and they bounce off the typical 25 MB email cap. Drop the scan in, pick Maximum compression, and the tool re-renders every page as a leaner JPEG so the file drops well under the limit. Scans shrink the most here, so it is ideal for getting signed paperwork sent without splitting it up.
Meet a government portal upload limit
Visa, tax, and grant portals often reject PDFs over a fixed size like 2 MB or 5 MB. Instead of guessing, compress your document and watch the before-and-after size and percentage saved update live. Step down from Recommended to Maximum compression until it fits, then download. Everything runs in your browser, so passports, bank statements, and other sensitive files are never uploaded to a server.
Compress an image-heavy report or portfolio
Design portfolios, photo reports, and slide exports balloon to tens of megabytes because of embedded photos. This compressor rebuilds each page as a flattened JPEG at your chosen resolution, cutting the size dramatically while keeping layouts intact for on-screen viewing. Note that selectable text becomes part of the image, so use it for sharing and viewing rather than documents you still need to search or edit afterward.
Compress PDF — frequently asked questions
How do I make a PDF smaller to email it?
Drop the PDF in, let it compress, then download — image-heavy and scanned PDFs usually shrink the most.
Will compressing affect the text or quality?
Text stays sharp; the savings come mostly from optimizing embedded images, so the document stays readable.
Which PDFs compress the most?
Scanned documents and PDFs with lots of photos shrink the most. Text-only PDFs are already small.
Is it safe and private?
Yes — the PDF is processed in your browser and never leaves your device.
Is it free?
Yes, free with no watermark and no account.
Share this tool
Send it to someone who needs it or save the link for later.