How to compress a PDF
- Drop your PDF into the box.
- Choose a level: Light keeps everything selectable; Strong and Maximum shrink scans and photos the most.
- Click Compress PDF, compare the sizes, check the preview, and download.
Compression levels explained
| Level | How it works | Text selectable? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Rewrites the file efficiently and removes wasted space | Yes | Documents from Word, Google Docs, invoices |
| Strong | Re-creates pages as 150 DPI compressed images | No | Scanned documents, photo-heavy PDFs |
| Maximum | Re-creates pages as 96 DPI images with higher compression | No | Fitting strict upload limits (e.g. under 1 MB) |
Common size limits
- Email attachments: Gmail and Outlook allow about 20–25 MB.
- Job and government portals: often 1–5 MB per file.
- Visa and exam applications: sometimes as small as 200–500 KB.
If one level isn't enough, combine steps: split off the pages you need with Split PDF, then compress.
Frequently asked questions
Which compression level should I pick?
Light keeps your PDF exactly as it is (text stays selectable) and only removes wasted space — great for PDFs from Word or other software. Strong and Maximum re-create each page as a compressed image, which shrinks scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs dramatically but makes text unselectable. Try Light first; if it's still too big, use Strong.
Why didn't my PDF get much smaller?
PDFs made from text documents are often already compact. Large PDFs are usually large because of scans or photos — Strong compression works best for those.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. It's compressed in your browser on your own device, so private documents stay private.
Will compression affect print quality?
Light compression doesn't change appearance at all. Strong (150 DPI) is fine for reading on screen and normal printing. Maximum (96 DPI) is for screen viewing and email only.