Compress PDF
Make a PDF smaller two ways: Smart compression shrinks the images inside it and keeps the text selectable, or set an exact target size in KB when a portal insists on one. Everything runs in your browser.
Drop your PDF here
or browse from your device
PDF only · up to 30 files · max 100 MB each
How to compress a PDF online
Add your PDFs
Drag in one or several files, or click to browse. Password-protected PDFs are accepted — you will be asked to unlock them first. Nothing is uploaded.
Pick Smart or Target size
Smart shrinks the images inside the document and keeps the text selectable. Target size hits an exact figure in KB by turning each page into an image — the tool tells you plainly when that trade is being made.
Choose strength or size
For Smart, pick Light, Balanced or Strong. For Target size, choose a preset like 100 KB or type an exact number for whatever portal you are fighting with.
Compress and download
Every file shows its before and after size and the percentage saved. One PDF downloads on its own; several download together as a ZIP.
How much smaller will your PDF actually get?
Honestly: it depends entirely on what is inside the file, and any tool promising a fixed percentage is guessing. A PDF is only as compressible as its largest parts.
| What your PDF is made of | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Scanned pages or photographs | Smart mode often removes 40–80% |
| Slides and image-heavy reports | Smart mode typically removes 20–50% |
| Text and vector graphics only | 5–15% — there is simply little to remove |
| Already compressed once | Very little the second time round |
| Any file, with a hard KB limit | Target size mode reaches it, at the cost of the text layer |
| A file you need to copy text from | Use Smart — never Target size |
Frequently asked questions
How do I compress a PDF to exactly 100 KB?
Choose Target size mode and either pick the 100 KB preset or type the figure you need. The tool renders the pages, then searches resolution and quality until the file fits, usually in two or three attempts. Be aware this converts pages into images, so the text stops being selectable — the tool says so before you run it.
Why did my PDF barely get smaller?
Because there was little to remove. Smart compression works by re-encoding embedded images; a PDF made only of text and vector graphics has almost no image data, so only the document structure can be tidied. That is a property of your file, not a failure of the tool — and it is why we tell you rather than quietly rasterising the pages to manufacture a number.
Will compressing make my text blurry?
Not in Smart mode. Text and vector artwork are left completely untouched — only bitmap images are re-encoded, so type stays razor sharp at any zoom. In Target size mode the whole page becomes an image, so text is only as sharp as the resolution the search settled on.
What is the difference between Smart and Target size?
Smart is lossless where it matters: it keeps text selectable, searchable and readable by screen readers, and simply makes the pictures smaller. Target size guarantees a file size instead, by flattening every page to a bitmap. Use Smart unless something is genuinely refusing your upload.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Yes. Add the file and enter its password when prompted. It is used in your browser to open the document and is never transmitted or saved.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The whole process runs in your browser. Nothing is transmitted, so there is no queue, no size cap imposed by a server, and no copy of your document sitting somewhere afterwards.